HARDWOOD RECORD 



23 



a elass rather than with 

 consuming element. Thus while the- (|i 

 stated in the various associaticiii jneeti 

 Lumber Association was specifio^l' 

 sented of discussing the matter fa&ly 



iv independent body of the 

 ^tiiin liad been discussed as 

 ;s, tlie National Hardwood 

 iiied tlie opportunity pre- 

 ith the official body of the 

 consumers who are officially taking'iip the question of agitating for 

 1912 rules in place of 1913 rules. Thiss^'ertainly does not show any 

 indication of a desire for fair dealing. 



As to the paragraph after the one just referred to, in which 

 our correspondent asks "Was it not proper for them, the consumers, 

 to go ahead independently?" this Hardwood Record believes has 

 been answered both in the proofs shown that the protests and the 

 appeal of the committee were not ignored and that there was no 

 attempt to force the new rules, but rather a general adoption of a 

 classification for lumber which was officially sanctioned by the 

 National Hardwood Lumber Association convention in regular session. 

 The correspondent makes an unfair reflection on the grading rules 

 committee and the officers of the association by attempting to 

 create the impression that the rules were railroaded through, and 

 that they did not represent the sentiments of the rank and file of 

 the association membership. 



Regarding the last three paragraphs of the above communication, 

 it can be emphatically stated that changes in hardwood grading rules 

 have resulted from absolute necessity and only such changes have 

 been made as were absolutely necessary to create uniformity and 

 standardization as far as possible in order to protect both the buyer 

 and seller of hardwood products. The rules are not "being con- 

 stantly tinkered with," but changes are being made as they seem 

 necessary to the inspection rules committee after due consideration. 

 There can be no doubt that the sellers of hardwood lumber as well 

 as the buyers regret such changes inasmuch as they are inconvenienced 

 just as much as are the buyers by the necessity for continued study 

 on the part of their inspectors. The suggestion that changing the 

 rules will make the association liable for prosecution under the 

 Sherman anti-trust laws, as being but a subterfuge for the purpose 

 of raising the prices of lumber, is based on such an ephemeral basis 

 that it scarcely deserves consideration. As a matter of fact while 

 conditions of timber today as compared to conditions of timber years 

 ago have of course resulted in lowering the grades on certain items, 

 it is an actual fact that in certain grades an actual raise has been 

 effected by the various changes objected to. 



In ;summarizing, Hardwood Record maintains and believes its con- 



tentions are based on facts, that the agitation for the substitution 

 of 1912 for 19i:i rules does not tiuly represent the sentiments of 

 consuming interests, and that a great many consumers who have been 

 led to endorse the agitation have been misinformed as to facts. 



HjVKDWOOD Record maintains that the reasons discussed by the 

 principal agitators for ignoring the National Hardwood Lumber 

 Association in the matter are based on false precepts, and that the 

 contentions of these agitators regarding the ignoring of their pro- 

 tests of a year ago and their denial of the privilege of the floor at 

 the 1913 convention are not true for reasons above stated; that the 

 protests against proposed changes of 1912 to 19115 rules were based 

 on proposals that were infinitely more drastic than the changes 

 adopted and that those changes adopted were but fair and in con- 

 formity with the necessity of maintaining consistency in the official 

 rules of the National Hardwood Lumber Association. 



ILVRDWOOD Record maintained in its editorial which the corre- 

 spondent so severely censured that the consumers were not showing 

 the proper attitude and iterates its contention even more emphatically 

 on this occasion. 



H.\RD\vooD Record has every reason to believe that the officers and 

 directors, members of the grading rules committee and the rank and 

 file of the National Hardwood Lumber Association are the fair and 

 broad-minded body of men who always have felt and will continue 

 to feel that the conserving of the interests of consumers of hardwood 

 lumber is not only fair business proceeding, but is the only logical 

 procedure to follow. 



Hardwood Record further believes that these same people would 

 welcome any fair and open attemjjt on the part of the consuming 

 interests to express their legitimate grievances in a manner in con- 

 formity to the regular ])rocedure which is followed in the administra- 

 tion of other workings of the association. 



Hardwood Record believes on the other hand that the ignoring of 

 the National Hardwood Lumber Association and the unfair and un- 

 founded agitation which is now going on will effect nothing other 

 than misunderstanding and a considerable amount of expense, which 

 is unwarrantable. 



It is to be hoped that the more broadminded members of the con- 

 suming trade will recognize that the instances given to show that 

 present rules are unfair are based entirely on extreme cases, and 

 are not indicative in the slightes^t measure of the character of present 

 rules, and that tlicy will not continue to sanction this unjust and 

 unprofitable agitation. 



; TOTOTOa5TOTO!waB^i; mimiTO6m;;ti;;tu^^^ 



^iT>Jew Use for Hardwood— Fibre Plaster*^ 



One hears a great deal about the question of wood substitutes these 

 days, but very little about the many new lines of utilization that are 

 being demanded of wood and forest products almost every day. For 

 example, a few years ago silos were hardly used at all ; now they are 

 generally used all over the country, and an immense amount of 

 wood is demanded in their construction. The same thing can be 

 said of wood block paving and a great variety of less important lines 

 of wood uses. 



Within the last few years a new industry has appeared to use 

 certain hardwoods for wood fibre plaster. To be sure, the present 

 annual consumption is not very large, but it is indicative of the 

 many new uses that are being constantly found for wood. 



It is said that the fibre plaster industry is confined to the states 

 of New York and Pennsylvania, and the writer knows of one mill 

 which uses several hundred cords per annum, with the consumption 

 greatly increasing from year to year. The fibre plaster is made of a 

 mixture of cement and wood and is manufactured and sold in the 

 dry form, requiring only water to make it available immediately for 

 wall plaster. The process of manufacture is roughly as follows: 



The bolts of wood in twelve and twenty-four inch lengths are 

 fastened in a rotary lathe, much the same as in a rotary veireer 

 machine. A wheel is suspended above this lathe, containing a number 



of sharp cutting edges which revolve against the bolt of wood, chip- 

 ping off fine fibres of wood along the line of the grain. The product is 

 a very fine, almost powdery sawdust, but with the wood fibres still 

 retaining their long stringy character. This is mixed in certain 

 proportions with cement and some other minor ingredients and packed 

 in seventy-five pound bags ready for shipment. 



The kinds of wood that are most useful for wood fibre plaster are 

 those with soft, long, smooth fibre which adapts itself readily to this 

 cutting machine. For this purpose, basswood, poplar, cottonwood, 

 willow, and buckeye are used. Coniferous woods cannot be used in 

 this industry on account of their resinous character. From $3.50 to 

 $4.75, with an average of about $4.00, is paid per face cord for these 

 bolts in two-foot lengths, which would make an average of $8.00 per 

 full cord (a stack four by four feet by eight feet long). 



The advantages claimed for wood fibre plaster are: 



(1) It is a substitute for common wall plaster but Is prepared 

 ready for use and requires only the requisite amount of water to 

 temper it. 



(2) It is light for shipment, tough and adhesive and is a non-conductor 

 of souud. 



(3) It sets quickly and will not chip, blister or crack. 



(4) It can be prepared and used in any weather and does not 

 deteriorate. N. C. B. 



