RESEARCH AND FOREST MANAGEMENT .■)!).? 



mercial products, which I believe can be made from this tree at a profit. 

 If I am right in this, instead of bringing $50 per thousand gross re- 

 turns this tree will bring $340 per thousand, and all of the tree, with 

 the exception of the stump and small limbs, will be used, even the bark. 

 Of course, I may be entirely wrong in this belief. I hope not, because 

 the money spent has been advanced by certain broad-guage lumbermen, 

 and I am anxious to have it return to them, with good interest added. 

 Assuming I am right — I always like to assume that — is it not reason- 

 able to believe that such utilization would entirely alter the present 

 methods of cutting up this tree? Personally, I believe this new plan 

 of utilization will even go so far as to make it pay to grow this tree. 

 In other words, to practice real forestry on it. 



Here in Wisconsin there is a fine research problem being sadly neg- 

 lected. I refer to the utilization of hemlock bark. Thousands of 

 cords of this bark have been and are being wasted, although at the 

 present high prices for bark, this loss is fortunately reduced. Why is 

 this so? Because lumbermen are still practicing the same antiquated 

 methods of peeling this bark which were practiced years ago. If a 

 practical method of removing the bark from the logs in a machine were 

 developed so that these dinosaurian methods of peeling now practiced 

 were abandoned, it would undoubtedly result in all of the bark being 

 used. Who is to do this? The problem is not a difficult one me- 

 chanically, yet where is the man who is willing to risk some of his 

 money in the development of such a machine? Those who would be 

 most directly benefited, unfortunately, are the most backward. The 

 Forest Products Laboratory has proved conclusively that bark peeled 

 mechanically and dried artificially gives excellent results in comparison 

 with so-called "leaf bark." And furthermore, after the tannin has 

 been extracted from the bark it is possible to use the extracted residue 

 for manufacturing into roofing felts and similar materials. Dr. Kress 

 has shown this. Yet who is using his research ? To my mind it fur- 

 nishes a good example for a commendable piece of research King dor- 

 mant, the reasons for which would make an interesting paj)er for this 

 Society. 



In the use of hardwood limbs, tops, and defective material, there is 

 another excellent research problem in Wisconsin. This industrv — the 

 destructive distillation industry — flourished during the war, but it 

 would be practically dead now if it were not for the uinisual i)rice of 

 wood alcohol. I believe that projjerly directed research could be made 

 to develop for this industry, a strong and steadv demand for its 



