HARDWOOD RECORD 



13 



boxes, packing boxes and furniture. 1 Ine 

 large furniture manufacturing house at I" 

 dianapolis, G. P. McDougall & Son, is em- 

 ploying it extensively in the manufacture of 

 fine kitchen cabinets, and it is the experience 

 of this house that the physics of the wood are 

 superior to those of any other they have here- 

 tofore employed in their line of manufacture. 

 The McDougall concern handles the won. I 1 

 satin-walnut, and is strenuous in its belief 

 that this is the best name by which it can 

 be known. 



The- question of the durability of red gum 

 is much disputed, although with proper sea- 

 soning there is no doubt that this wood is of 

 a quality that will withstand time as well ;is 

 most American hardwoods, with the exception 

 of oak. The wood warps and twists badlj 11 

 not steamed immediately after it is sawn. 



/.ones are independent of the rings. The 

 tour is uneven. 



The Forest Division of the United States 

 Department of Agriculture lias spent a good 

 deal of time in investigating red gum, and 

 from the government hull. tin on tie' -object 

 the larger portion "t 11..' (Wowing excerpts 

 are made: 



1'ntil recently the manufacture of gum was 

 in an experimental stage, owinp chiefly to its 

 tendencj to warp ami twist, and also to the 

 fad that the supply of other hardwoods was 

 so large that there was no incentive to work so 

 low-priced and supposedly unsatisfactory a 



wood as gum. Nevertheless, a few tar sighted 

 manufacturers, looking into the future, saw 

 that the supply of .various finishing woods 

 was limited, making the substitution of nev 

 woods a 1 c'ssitv of tin- near future. Red 



MAP SHOWING RANGE OF GROWTH OF RED GUM. 



Heretofore its great economical value was not 

 recognized, owing very largely to the difficulty 

 experienced by manufacturers in seasoning it 

 perfectly. The wood is susceptible to a beau- 

 tiful polish. Its value as a paving material is 

 based very largely on its resilience which 

 withstands traffic to a wonderful degree, it 

 being far superior to woods that are much 

 harder. The experience cities have had with 

 the wood as a paving material is exta 

 favorable when it has been creosoted ; other- 

 wise it has proven very perishable. 



The color of the heart wood is red or red- 

 dish brown, quite eccentric in its markings. 

 and well defined from the cream-color or 

 whitish sapwood. It is usually marked with 

 smoke-colored streaks. The inferior grades 

 show a dull brown tone. The rings are 

 but not prominent. The boundary, a fine line 

 or zone of autumn wood, sometimes is very 

 clear; at others, difficult to see. The smoky 



gum has been found to answer this purpo • 

 markably well, ami with the increase in price 

 of cottonwood and yellow poplar, it bas been 

 gradually brought upon the market. Certain 

 objectionable qualities have been found 

 sil.le of elimination by judicious handling 

 and care, and gum consequently now ranks as 

 ; ,,., ercial woi I « it h 



_r.iws intermingled with ash. cot- 



tonw I and oak throughout the hardwood 



bottom lands ■■< the South, and 1-. perhaps, 

 the commonest timber tree in that great 



tion. 'I'liese rich, alluvial Lot torn- are an g 



the b< : '"' region. 



In the past. gum. having no market 

 left Standing after logging, or. when 



land was cleared tor farming, wac 



..,„,! allowed to rot. and then felled ami 



burned. Not only were tin- trei ' loss 



to the farmer, but, from their great size and 



the labor required to handle them, they were 



- an obstruction 1 preclude 



the clearing of valuable land. Now that there 



narkot for th,- timber, it will 1»- profit 

 able to out gum with other hardwoods, ami 

 html .■an red more cheaply. This in- 



if gum timber will I. 

 groat I. en. -lit t.. th.- Soi^th in many . 

 When growing in the forest th.- tr. 

 itself readily at an early period, ami forms 

 a good length of clear Btem, but it 



ng branches after making most "f it- 

 height growth. Thi ..ally 

 fork.. I, and th.' place where this forking com 



- detet mines the numbi 1 

 tree, w 1'- merchantable length. 



tho st. 'in is oft. -ti not loss t 1 1 : . 



inches in diametei irhere the branching be- 

 gins. 'I I, 



ami drj topped, with a very spreading crown, 



of 11. v, branches bi 

 out. injury t. from fire 



and to the tops from wind or ice opens 

 1.. attacks from fungi, which cause di 

 and from insects, which precede and assist the 

 fungi. 



Throughout its entire life red gum i> intol- 

 erant As a rule seedlings appear 

 only in clearings or in open spots in the 

 est. It i- seldom that an overtopped tr. 

 id, for the gum dies quickly if suppr. 



an. I is isequently nearly always a dominant 



or intermi In a hardwood bottom 



forest tho timb re till ..f nearly the 



same ag rable areas, .ami there is 



littll rot Dg gro :l to be found in the older 

 Stands. Tho reason for this is the intolei 

 of mo 



■i ami by 



sprouts. It produces irly abundantly 



ir, I. nt abo "i three 



there is an extremely heavy production. The 

 - t.. bear -,-.•. I when twenty ti 



thirty years old, ami seeds vigorously up to 

 150 years, when it- productive power bt 

 to diminish. 



In tin- Mississippi rallej the abandoned 

 fields on ■ Hi- of re. 1 gum have 



sprung up are, for tl | rap- 



idly cleared again. The second growth 



I little valui rison with 



the value ot the land for agricultural pur- 



siderable Ian. I upon which 



the si 'th will become valuable tim 



land -hoiil 

 be cleared until it t.. ntili/. 



timl.. 1. 



A large amount of re. I gum glowing ir 

 mically transported | 

 the • the mills only by no. 



ins, owing pens ,.t putting in 



railroads - landling the timber. G 



red gum. however, i- 

 floats and, to overcome this difficult 

 methods of driving out ti logs 



:ii. thrown into the river have 1 

 Although tin' logs are th 

 the sapv ire lial.h 



The 



girdling, in the fall U 



