20 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



July 10, 1917 



but it cannot be washed out. Possibly it^might be whitened by 

 some bleaching process, but of necessity that would be on a 

 small scale. 



Prevention of Sapstain 



The remedy lies in prevention. That is likewise the remedy for 

 cholera in the human race, but there is a difference. The germs 

 of cholera can be attacked and destroyed in their breeding ground, 

 but that cannot be done with the germs of sapstain. The breeding 

 grounds are too large and too many. Something in that direction 

 can be done by removing decaying wood, draining damp premises, 

 and clearing away obstructions to secure better circulation of air 

 among lumber piles, thereby speeding up the drying process. But, 

 to combat bluing successfully, the lumber must be protected against 

 the swarms of spores which constantly floaf in the air. 



The most promising defense against attack is a process of poison- 

 ing the surface of the lumber in a way to kill the spores when they 



touch it, or to poison the food supply in the wood cells so that fun- 

 gus cannot live on it. A number of mixtures and solutions have 

 been tried with more or less success. The custom is to dip the 

 boards in a bath of the approved mixture. Among those recom- 

 mended are borax, sodium carbonate and lime, sodium hydroxide, 

 sodium bicarbonate, carbolic acid, naphthalene flakes, copper sul- 

 phate, zinc chloride, and mercuric chloride. 



The funguses which produce sapstain are not very particular 

 about the woods they choose. If any species is entirely immune, 

 when exposed under conditions favorable to attack, the fact is not 

 generally known; but those species suffer most which have the most 

 sapwood. That rule holds, at least, among the common species met 

 with in lumber yards. Pretty long lists have been published of 

 funguses that produce sapstain, but doubtless many other species 

 remain to be discovered. That which is most dreaded is the one 

 causing the blue stain common in southern lumber yards. 



VisyA:>'si;<ic:EigK)XimMi;adV;i^»>iWiW^ 



The Southern Hardwood Traffic Association, of Memphis, accord- 

 ing to press advices from Washington, has won the greatest vic- 

 tory in its remarkable career in defeatirtg the proposed advance of 

 15 per cent in hardwood rates. Congratulations are pouring in by 

 both telegran>s and letters to James E. Stark, president, and J. H. 

 Pownshend, secretary, respectively, of this organization. 



The copy of the commission's decision has not yet reached 

 Memphis but members and officials alike are sure that when it does 

 come it will not detract in the least from the victory recorded in 

 press dispatches. But the copy is eagerly awaited because those 

 identified with the association are anxious to see to what extent 

 the official text corresponds in language to that used in the argu- 

 ments presented by J. V. Norman and Edgard A. Haid, attorneys 

 for this organization. It is notable that, according to the press 

 reports, the commission should have used word for word, to a large 

 extent, as found in the arguments presented by these gentlemen. 



All identified with the association believe that the suggestion 

 of the commission that present tariffs be withdrawn by the rail- 

 roads will be followed. However, if the carriers should refuse to 

 act upon this suggestion and should press their contentions for 

 higher rates, hardwood lumbermen are confident that they can 

 convince the commission that logs, lumber and forest products are 

 paying all the freight these commodities will bear. 



A striking feature of the aftermath of the decision is the acknowl- 

 edgment by traffic experts not identified with the lumber industry 

 that the credit for the victory in the rate case, not only defeating 

 the proposed advances in their own line but also defeating ad- 

 vances on other commodities, is due the Southern Hardwood Traffic 

 Association whose experts put up the most convincing arguments 

 and the most vigorous fight of any other organization or group of 

 shippers appearing before the commission. The current issue of the 

 Traffic World, a semi-official organ of shippers, says: 



In the southern territor.v the lumber inliTfsts objected because they 

 had borne advances recently. J. V. Norman jjut up such a flgbt that, in 

 tbe midst of it, the soutbcm lines abandoned ihe fifteen per cent pro- 

 posal as to lumber and decided to ask for a specific advance of 1 cent 

 per hundred pounds. 



James E. Stark, president of the association and a large shipper, 

 took an active part in the hearing and was elated over the tre- 

 mendous victory gained. He said recently: 



Our victory is far more important than the majority of the lumber- 

 men realize at this time. I firmly believe that, if the proposed advances 

 had been permitted to become effective, tbe greater portion of the mills 

 in tbe Memphis district would have been forced to close down. Mr. 

 Townshend, our secretary, and Messrs. Norman and Ilaid. our attorneys, 

 worked tirelessly and unceasingly in tbe interests of bardwood ship- 

 pers and it was due to their vigorcius efforts that the aclvances were 

 denied. Mr. Townshend has kept careful count of tbe lunnber of cars 



JAMES E. STACK. MEMI'HIS, TENN., 

 PRESIDENT 



J. II. TOWNSHEND, MEMPHIS, TENN., 

 SECRETARY 



W. P.. iniKKE, 

 CHARLESTON, MISS. 



