32 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



substitute Xoi- blotting paper. For this purpose 

 tlie kerf of hardwoods is principally used, and it 

 is dyed daiuty colors and perfumed so as to 

 make it a pleasing article about a woman's desk. 

 Sawdust is the source of much of the cellu- 

 lose now employed for the manufacture of ex- 

 plosives. Evenlually. however, its most im- 

 portant use will undoubtedly be in the produc- 

 tion of sugar and alcohol. Sawdust is practi- 

 cally all cellulose, and the latter is convertible 

 into sugar, which by processes already well 

 undorstoofi can be transformed iuto alcohol. 



A Syndicated Automobile 



The accompanying view represents a new typi' 

 of automobile built especially to order. Lewis 

 Dostor of Cincinnati, secretary of the Hardwood 

 Manufacturers' Association, assumes to possess 

 ownership of it. However, it is generally known 

 in Cincinnati that tiie purchase was made by 

 Eill DeLaney. manager of the Kentucky Lumber 

 Company, and all that Doster owns of the out- 

 tit is the off-hind wheel and the doughnut 

 strapped to the side. 



This machine is said to possess sundry new 

 features which are of particular value to the 

 member of the Hardw-ood ilanufacturers' Asso- 

 ciation inspection committee and to the redoubt- 



TIIE SY.XDICATED AUTOMOBILE. 



able secretary. It has an automatic attachment 

 by which an.v variety of hardwood lumber can 

 be accurately inspected and automatically tal- 

 lied. 



Neither of the gentlemen interested iu the 

 "joy-wagon" pretend to claim ownership to the 

 original ideas involved in the construction, and 

 the name of the inventor is a secret. Under the 

 terms of the .ioint ownership of the equipment 

 DcLaney has the use of it between 6 o'clock in 

 the morning and ]"J o'clock at ni,ght during all 

 the months in the year save December, .Tanuary 

 and February, when the order of the right of 

 use of the vehicle is reversed. 



The picture is a January view of Doster at 

 the helm of the automobile. 



Italy 'Works to Renew Forests 



Italy, which has suffered extremely- in I In- prist 

 from the ruin which follows the removal of pro- 

 tective forests, is now among the leading nations 

 working for the conservation of forest resources. 

 Extensive operations in reafforestation have been 

 going on for forly years, and the Italian secre- 

 tary of agriculture has just published his report 

 on the progress made in that time. 



This report indicates that the Italian govern- 

 ment is keenly aware of the value of forests to 

 the country, and that it is determined to brin^ 

 its deforested lands into a forested state as soon 

 again as possible. To attain this end. planting 

 operations have been conducted on government 

 land to such an extent that during the last thirty 

 years 122.000 acres have been planted in twenty- 

 five of the provinces of Italy. Of this area, 69,- 

 000 acres, or approximately 108 square miles, 

 were planted in the year 1907 alone, causing an 

 outlay of nearl.v $2,000,000 and giving employ- 

 nunt to a large number of men. 



Ueafforestation has been carried on so vigor- 



ously that there now remains only about 36,000 

 acres of government land in need of planting. 

 In addition to conducting planting operations 

 on a large scale, the Italian government has 

 during the last forty years distributed over 

 130,000,000 .voung trees and 237,600 pounds of 

 seed, an amount sufficient to restock approxi- 

 mately 100,000 acres of land, to the people in 

 an effort to encourage planting and sowing by 

 private persons. As the forest area of Italy 

 amounts to only slightly more than 10,000,000 

 acres, this planting by the government and 

 private persons amounts to approximately one- 

 lortieth of the total forest area of Italy. Further 

 steps must be taken by the government, however, 

 before its forest policy will prove the success of 

 some of its European neighbors. 



Forest tires still continue to be the cause of 

 heavy damage. During the year 1907, 1,294 fires 

 were reported with an estimated loss of $194,400. 

 While this amount is insignificant when com- 

 pared with the yearly loss from fires in the 

 United States, it is large relatively speaking 

 and would be viewed almost as a calamity in 

 the better managed German forests. Of these 

 figures, 94 were due to criminal design, 267 to 

 culpable negligence, 132 to accident, and the rest 

 to unknown causes. 



Fire, however, is not the only enemy of the 

 Italian woods. The small land owner often fells 

 recklessly, and sometimes with good excuse, be- 

 cause of the heavy taxation of timber lands. 

 Large tracts which used to be covered with 

 thick growths of chestnut have, even during re- 

 cent years, been stripped of every tree. 



The Situation Abroad 



From circulars of the various large hardwood 

 concerns of Liverpool, under date of October 1, 

 a fairly accurate idea of conditions prevailing 

 in England may be obtained. 



.\lfred Diibell & Co. say in respect to Amer- 

 ican hardwoods ; "We have to record another 

 mouth of quiet trade. The advance which has 

 taken place abroad iu several important articles 

 has not yet met with tangible response on this 

 side. Stocks generally are not heavy, but they 

 are ample for the demand, which continues to 

 be of a languid character. The consumption of 

 rock elm is of a retail character at steady fig- 

 ure. The stock of birch logs is ample and values 

 have been barely maintained. The stock in 

 planks is more than sufficient for the present 

 limited demand. Prices are somewhat easier. 

 Of round southern oak, the import has been 

 light and values are firm, xhere is a good in- 

 (juiry for really prime logs. Baltimore Waney 

 Logs — There has been no import for a long 

 time and prime parcels would meet with a 

 ready sale at full figures. Wagon Planks — The 

 import during the month has been moderate. 

 The stock of first quality planks in desirable 

 sizes, namely 15 % and 16 feet 5 inches and 5^ 

 inches x 12 iuc'ues and 10 feet and up, SV" 

 inches x 12 inches is now within reasonable 

 compass, but the market continues heavily 

 weighted by planks in poor specifications and 

 iu inferior quality. There is a little more ac- 

 tivity in the general enquiry. Coffin Planks — 

 The stocks of medium quality are heavy and 

 values easier ; prime parcels are enquired for. 

 Walnut logs of strictly prime quality are sale- 

 able at full prices. The arrivals have been small 

 and consisted of medium and inferior qualities. 

 Planks and boards have been arriving freely and 

 values are consequently at a lower level. The 

 stocks are quite sufficient to meet the slow in- 

 quiry. Satin Walnut — Boards are difficult to 

 sell, owing to the poor demand and ample stocks. 

 Whitewood — Logs — The demand is good for par- 

 cels of prime logs of large sizes. Medium and 

 inferior grades are not wanted. Planks and 

 beards are sufficiently stocked to meet the pres- 

 ent- requirements. Values are firm for the bet- 

 ter grades. Bay Poplar — There Is only a lim- 

 ited demand and sales arc difficult to effect. 



Ash and Hickory — Round Logs — The import has 

 been light and prices for the coming season's 

 shipment are firm." 



Tickle, Bell & Co.'s circular says of mahog- 

 any ; "There were good companies at the last 

 auctions and very keen competition for all wood 

 of anything like good quality. Prices showed 

 considerable advance on last auction, and with 

 the short supply combined with strong demand 

 are likely still further to advance in the im- 

 mediate future." 



.John I-I. Burrell & Co.'s wood circular states : 

 ".\sh Logs — The arrivals as usual have consisted 

 principally of round wood on contract. Ash Lum- 

 ber — There is a quiet demand for prime stock of 

 good specification. Black Walnut Logs — The 

 arrivals have been moderate and prime large 

 logs continue in good demand, though medium, 

 small and inferior wood is hard to sell even at 

 low prices. Black Walnut Lumber — Demand 

 quiet, supplies excessive, and values weaker. 

 Chestnut Logs — No inquiry. Hickory Logs — The 

 slightly improved demand noted in our last con- 

 tinues tor strictly prime clean butts, but rough 

 and inferior wood is very unsaleable. Oak 

 boards — The import has been considerably in ex:- 

 cess of the quiet demand. Oak Planks (cab- 

 inet) — There has been a little more inquiry for 

 strictly prime stock, but there is no improve- 

 ment to record in the demand for average par- 

 cels. Oak Planks (coffin) — There is slightly 

 more demand for prime parcels of good specifi- 

 cations, but inferior planks continue to be very 

 unsaleable. Oak Planks (wagon) — The im- 

 proved tone noted in our last continues to be 

 maintained, with the prospect of a rather 

 brisker demand, but it must be remembered that 

 first quality planks, 1.3 Vi and 16 feet 3 x 12, 

 coupled witn a fair percentage of 3% ^ 12, con- 

 stitutes the only saleable specifications, as short 

 .■J X 12 are greatly overstocked, while second 

 class and Inferior planks of any specification 

 are a drug in the market and quite unsaleable. 

 Poplar Logs — Prime, clean, well-made sizeable 

 logs are in good demand. Poplar Lumber-^The 

 import has been light, but the demand is not 

 active, and the competition among sellers to 

 contract for future shipments is such as to give 

 little chance for prices to rally. Satin Walnut 

 Lumber — The market is without change." 



Edward Challoner & Co. state that arrivals 

 from North American ports during the month 

 (if September totaled 24,037 tons, as against 

 i-.u,D99 tons for the corresponding month of last 

 year. Of the various woods, their last circular 

 slates : "Oak — Log timber has not been imported 

 during the past month and the demand has been 

 quiet ; prices for prime wood are firm. Stocks are 

 moderate. Wagon Planks — Import has been 

 light, but a fair quantity has passed into con- 

 sumption ; prices for first-class planks of good 

 specification are firmer, but for interior grades 

 rule low ; the stock of the latter description is 

 heavy. Elm — No arrivals during the past month, 

 .lud the consumption has been only 1,000 cubic 

 feet. The stock is light and prices firm. Ash 

 — Import and consumption have been small ; 

 the stock is light and prices firm. Walnut — 

 Logs of good to prime quality are in steady de- 

 mand at firju prices, but for inferior and small 

 wood values rule low. Boards and planks of the 

 better qualities sell at fair prices. Satin Wal- 

 nut — The demand is quiet at unchanged prices. 

 Whitewood — Logs — There is a steady demand 

 at good prices for prime quality wood of large 

 dimensions, but for other descriptions values 

 rule low. Boards and Planks — The higher 

 grades are in fair request at firm prices, but 

 inferior qualities are dull of sale and prices 

 rule low. Birch — Logs — There has been a light 

 import and moderate consumption during the 

 past month ; prices have ruled steady. Planks — 

 Arrivals and deliveries have been moderate ; 

 prices are easier. Stocks of both logs and 

 planks are sufficient. Hickory — Prime quality 

 butts would realize good prices." 



