August 10. 1915. 



Ivlil ] Scale Study of Maple Logs 



Arrangements were made with the Forest Products Laboratory 

 at iladison, Wis., to conduct a mill scale study at the Good- 

 man Lumber Company 's mills, Goodman, Wis., August 2 and 3. 

 The purposes of the work outlined in the plan were: 



1 — To determine the amount, srade, and valui< ot tlie lumber manufac- 

 tured from logs of different size and grade. 



'2 — To obtain data on the defects of logs with a view to establishing log 

 grades on a basis ot defects and log values as determined by the merchant- 

 able quantit.v of the lumber by grades. 



3 — To determine the amount of waste produced in slabs, edgings, trim- 

 mings, and sawdust in manufacturing logs of different size and grade. 



4 — To determine the cost of manufacture per thousand feet board 

 measure of logs of different size and grade as determined b.v the time con- 

 sumed in sawing and by the analysis of available cost <iata. 

 5 — To apply, if possible, the universal grading rule. 



(i — To determine the relative accuracy of the Doyle and Scribuer rules 

 for use on maple. 



The force for conducting the work consisted of two representa- 

 tives from the Forest Products Laboratory, one to supervise the 

 study and the other to time the logs on the carriage and assist 

 on the log deck. There was also ou hand an expert grader from 

 the Northern Hemlock and Hardwood Manufacturers ' Associa- 

 tion, and other necessary assistants were secured at the mill to 

 aid in measuring the logs and in marking and tallying the material. 

 The material consisted of fifty maple logs distributed among 

 the various log grades. The logs were selected from the standing 

 trees in the woods and separated into three grades based upon 

 the estimated amount of clear lumber which the logs would yield 

 as determined by one of the scalers at the mill. Grade one 

 included 20 logs, grade two 10 logs, grade three 10 logs, and 

 cull grade 10 logs. The logs in each grade were as evenly dis- 

 tributed between the different diameters as possible and all the 

 same length. As far as possible all the logs from a tree were 

 included so as to secure data on whole trees. Each log was 

 numbered consecutively on both ends with black waterproof paint, 

 and the following information was recorded: 

 1— Grade. 



2 — .\verage diameter at both ends inside bark to the nearest half inch. 

 3 — Thickness of bark. 



4 — Average diameter at middle of log outside bark to nearest half inch. 

 3 — Length in teet and fractions. 



(j — Scale by Doyle Rule — both full scale and reduced scale. 

 7 — Scale by Scribner Decimal C Rule — both full scale and reduced scale. 

 S — Thickness of sapwood. 

 9 — Position of log in tree. 

 10 — Complete descriptive and graphic record of all defects, including 

 kind, size and position. 



Photographs of each end and two sides (including views of 

 defects, if any) of each log were taken. The logs were loaded 

 upon special cars and taken to the mill. 



The test logs were kept together and run through the mill at 

 one time. All logs were sawed up entirely on the head saw, no 

 gang saws or' resaws being used, and were sawed into the best 

 1-inch stock possible, with the exception of ten of the grade one 

 logs, which wore sawed into the best l^oinch, 2-inch and 3-inch 

 stock possible. 



One man was stationed at the head saw who recorded the number 

 on the end of each log and also the order in which the logs were 

 sawed. He secured by means of a stop watch the actual time of 

 sawing. For a check on the total time of sawing he recorded the 

 time the first log rolled on the carriage and the time the saw 

 left the last board on the last log. For the time of sawing of 

 individual logs he recorded the time each log rolled on the car- 

 riage. Any tmnatural stops were noted, together with the cause 

 and length of time. 



The man at the tail end of the trimmer numbered each board 

 with blue chalk as it fell off the trimmer. All boards from the 

 first log sawed were numbered "1"; all boards from the second 

 log sawed were numbered "2"; all boards from the third log 

 sawed " 3, ' " etc. 



One expert grader and one or more expert tallymen were sta- 



tioned at the grading table. The tallymen recorded the number, 

 length, breadth and thickness of each piece, and the grade and 

 defects as determined by the grader. The grading rules of the 

 National Hardwood Lumber Association were used, and an attempt 

 was made to apply the universal grading rule which has recently 

 been formulated by the laboratory. 



Slabs, edgings and trimmings from one small and one large 

 representative log of each log grade were sawed separately to deter- 

 mine the amount of waste produced in their manufacture. 



From the data obtained, the following information is available: 



1 — The amount, grade, and value of the lumber mauufaetured from logs 

 of different size and grade. 



2 — The amount of overrun of hunber tally over the Doyle liule as com- 

 pared to the Scribner Rule. 



3 — The relalion of the defects of each log and their position to the 

 amount of lumber of various grades mauufaetured from them. 



4 — The value per thousand feet board measure ot the lumber sawc<i from 

 logs of different size and grade. 



5 — The amount of waste in slabs, edgings, trimmings, and sawdust from 

 representative logs ot different size and grade. 



6 — The relation between the amount, grade and value of 1-inch stock 

 manufactured from high-grade logs, and the amount, grade and value of 

 I'/i-inch, 2-inch and 3-inch stock manufactured from the same class of logSv 



7 — The grades and value of the lumber from logs ot different size and 

 grade as determined by the universal grading rule. 



8 — 'nie relation of position of log in tree to the amount, grade and value 

 of the lumber produced. 



— The relative cost per thousand feet of sawing logs of different size 

 and grade as determined by the time consumed in sawing and by analysis 

 of available cost data. 



Do Tree Roots Seek Water? 



The London Timber News asks, with evident hesitation and 

 dubiousness, whether any of its readers believe that trees can 

 smell. Without pausing for reply, it cites an instance. A poplar 

 tree sent its roots entirely beneath a cellar and one hundred and 

 fifty feet bej'ond to reach the water in a drain pipe, and there 

 the roots accumulated in a large mass. If the roots did not stnell 

 the water and go to it, how did they find it? The London paper 

 is still waiting for reply. 



An incident alnjost identical occurred at Cadillac, Mich., where 

 the roots of a Lombardy poplar traveled one hundred and fifty 

 feet, down a hill and under a building, to reach a leaky drain pipe. 

 Nearly every person who has had experience with poplars (or 

 willows or fig trees) can recall similar happenings. 



Botanists have discussed this question at great length and they 

 disagree and cannot settle anything. Some believe that the tree 

 possesses a faculty corresponding to an animal's sense of smell. 

 If that is admitted, it accounts for what takes place. Others will 

 not admit that such a faculty is possessed by trees, and when the 

 roots go to water or food, it is classed as only an accident. 



The mesquite tree of the semi-arid Southwest affords a more 

 interesting subject of study. The roots will descend plumb down 

 fifty or sixty feet to reach a stratum of water. If the water is 

 not there, the tree will not grow. When the first railroads were 

 surveyed across northwestern Texas, on what was called ' ' The 

 Staked Plains," the surveyors were guided by mesquite trees 

 in searching for water. A clump of these trees, far out on the 

 desolate plains, meant that a well would strike water within 

 sixty feet or less, though not a drop might be found until that 

 depth was reached. 



How did the mesquite trees know that water was within reach 

 at certain places? There was no sign of it ou the surface. 



Those who deny that a tree has the faculty of smell, or any- 

 thing corresponding to it, say it is all the result of chance; that 

 of the millions of mesquite seeds dispersed all over the plains, 

 many germinate and send roots down to considerable depths, 

 whether there is subterranean water or not. Those which reach 

 no water perish and no one ever takes note of them, while the 

 few which find water survive and become trees. 



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