August 10, 1!)1T 



Tlie suggestion that has been sent broadcast that the demand for 

 steel ouglit to be relieved as much as possible by substituting wood 

 for that metal, is worth more than a passing thought. There is a 

 searcitj' of steel and an abundance of wood. All of the steel is needed 

 for war service, and it is not only, a patriotic duty but a business 

 necessity that in situations where wood will answer, steel should not 

 be employed. 



In many places wood cannot take the place of steel, and no attempt 

 ought to be made to use it. There are, however, a number of important 

 commodities that are now made of either wood or steel, and it is for 

 these that the use of wood miglit be extended and the use of steel 

 lessened. 



A number of commodities are given below, with the suggestion 

 that wood be more largely employed in their manufacture thereby 

 releasing steel for other purposes. 



Roofing 



Shingles make a good roof, but because metal has been cheaper, or 

 because it has been favored by fire laws, sheet iron roofing has crowded 

 the woodeu shingle from some of the places is once held. Sliingles 

 are not made of just any wood which happens to be convenient, but of 

 ■certain kinds. In quantity, these shingle woods are used, ranging from 

 the highest to the lowest as follows: Cedar, white pine, yellow pine, 

 hemlock, cypress, redwood, spruce and chestnut. Practically all the 

 shingles of the United States are of these, woods. If an increase in 

 wooden roofs results from the present agitation, the shingles wOl 

 .probably be made of the foregoing species. 



Ceiling 



Metal ceiling has replaced much wood in recent years, and the time 

 has come when some of the business may be won back. Those in 

 a position to bid for some of the increase in business may be interested 

 in seeing a list of woods in most demand for ceilings. The list is 

 arranged, as all others in this article are, with the wood which is most 

 used, at the head, and the others in the order of their relative im- 

 portance : , 



Yellow pine, white pine, Douglas fir, oak, maple, spruce, red gum, 

 hemlock, 3'ellow poplar, cypress, birch, basswood, Cottonwood, chest- 

 nut, ash, elm, tupelo, redwood. 



Dealers in eeUing material of any of these woods might look about 

 for opportunities to increase their business. 



Siding 



Some of the woods used for ceiling are suitable for siding also ; 

 but the lists differ. With the exception of red gum, yellow poplar, 

 and tupelo, the hardwoods are not often employed as siding. The 

 softwoods meet most of the demand, white and yellow pine leading, 

 and followed by cypress, redwood, hemlock,, and Douglas fir. Eough 

 siding may be of nearly, any wood, and here is where the competition 

 between wood and iron siding is keenest. Much gain ought to be 

 ' possible for lumber along this line ; for any lessening in the supply 

 ' of sheet metal will open a place for wooden siding. Perhaps the 



■ chief opportunity will be found in the construction of warehouses aDd 

 • rough sheds. Metal has not displaced much wood as siding for fine 

 , buildings. 



Beams and Frames 

 Manufacturers of yellow pine, hemlock and Douglas fir will have the 

 inside track in supplying beams and frames which have been furnished 



■ by steel, but several other woods may share in the business. Strong. 

 stiff woods are wanted for beams, and it may be expected that the 

 three woods named above will meet most of the increased demand as 



■ iron and steel structural shapes disappear. A good deal of agitation 

 has recently taken place in favor of ' ' mill construction ' ' plans of 

 buUdings. The National Lumber Manufacturers' Association has 

 been pushing that campaign, and good results may be expected. 



■ Wood ought to win much business in this line. 



Fgkxiture 

 Metal has made eonsidei'able inroad upon wood in the manufac- 

 ture of furniture, and the way may now be opening to recover the 



lost ground. If an increased use of wood occurs in this business, two 

 classes of wood wOI benefit. First, the cabinet woods for the out- 

 side, visible parts; second, plain woods for the inside of expensive 

 furniture and for entire articles of cheaper kinds. The cabinet woods 

 and the relative quantities of each kind now used in the furniture 

 trade follow, oak leading the list in amount, and followed in the 

 order named by maple, birch, red giun, walnut, mahogany and cherry. 

 The plain woods for interiors and for cheap articles, range from the 

 most important downward, in this order: White pine, Cottonwood, 

 ash,' elm, yellow poplar, tupelo, and cedar. Furniture manufacturers 

 can figure out which list of woods they will need most if they increase 

 their business by the substitution of wood for metal furniture. 



Vehicles 



Wood may be substituted for metal in many parts of vehicles and 

 in many kinds. It depends upon the vehicle whether wood can take 

 the place of metal. In numerous instances it can; sometimes as 

 frames, again as springs and parts of wheels, and as panels in light 

 vehicles. The strong woods for frames, springs, and wheels arc 

 oak, ash, hickory, maple, birch, and elm; the woods for panels, seats, 

 and bodies are yellow poplar, tupelo, red gum, cottonwood, cypress, 

 pine, and redwood. 



Caskets 



Metal burial caskets have pushed wood hard in recent yeais, and 

 wood may now have a chance to come back, for it is the oldest and 

 by many is considered the best casket material that has ever been 

 used. Both cheap and expensive woods are used, and both kinds are 

 plentiful. The finer woods are walnut, mahogany, oak, lihch, and reil 

 gum ; the jdainer woods that are important in the industry are chest- 

 nut, redwood and pine. 



Bailroab Cars 



Few greater opportunities exist for wood to come into its own than 

 in the manufacture of raUroad cars, and few industries offer more 

 chances to save steel than by substituting wood in the construction of 

 such cars, both those for freight and for passengers. Wood for such 

 cars is divided into three general classes, that for frames, that for 

 roofs, floors, and siding, and that for interiors of passenger coaches. 

 The beam and frame woods, listed in the order of their importance, 

 are oak, yellow pine, Douglas fir, hemlock, and ash. That for floors, 

 siding and roofs consists of pine, fir, hemlock, and cypress ; while 

 the cabinet woods for interior finish of passenger coaches are oak, 

 maple, birch, walnut, mahogany, red gum, and ash. Every one of these 

 may become a substitute for metal in car buildiiig. 



Pulleys 



About 35,000,000 feet of wood are consumed annually in the United 

 States in the manufacture of pulleys; and the quantity would be 

 doubled if iron pulleys should disappear from the market and wood 

 take their place. It is generally admitted that the wooden pulley 

 is superior to the iron, except in the largest sizes. The woods most 

 used in pulley making, named in the, order of their importance, are 

 maple, birch, ash, yellow poplar, beech, gum, and cypress 

 Cooperage and Boxes 



Relatively few boxes are of metal, but these might be of wood. 

 The principal metal boxes or trays are used for carrying bottled 

 goods. 



The metal barrel is much more common and is in wider use than 

 the box. It ranges from the slack barrel of thin sheets to the' heavy 

 barrel or drum for carrying oils and other valuable commodities. The 

 suljstitution .qf wooden barrels would bring no hardship to the user. 

 Wooden barrels are in some ways superior to those of metal, and 

 there is no question but that plenty qf suitable woods can be had 

 to meet any increase in demand. 



The Call for Conservation 



This nation-wide call for the conservation of iron and steel by 

 introducing substitutes does not come from lumber manufacturers and 

 dealers, but from government authorities who see. the need of the 

 measure. Steel producers are not voicing objections. 



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