Periodical Literature. 281 



coal and the by-products recovered. Experts are kept busy 

 studying methods and systems of utiHzing waste. They ascer- 

 tain by careful records the yield of all products from each 10 

 acre tract. 



The direct utilization of small pieces, instead of converting 

 them into some other chemical form, is illustrated by an Oshkosh, 

 Wise, firm, which formerly sold its waste pieces for $1.25 a load, 

 containing about 800 board feet. Short lengths of pine were 

 sold to a match company, and the other pieces were used for 

 making- checker-boards, blind slats and various small articles. 

 Then the advent of veneered doors made a market for a great 

 deal of lumber that was formerly waste. 



At Grand Rapids, Mich., the modern gluing and veneering 

 processes save enormous quantities of small waste pieces that 

 can now be used in furniture making. 



A to}^ company started at Sheboygan, Wise, with the intention 

 of utilizing only waste wood, but the supply was not sufficient so 

 it began using merchantable timber for making toy carriages, 

 dolls' houses, etc. It eventually worked out a system of utilizing 

 all the small pieces so that now little more than sawdust is left 

 as waste. 



At Cadillac, *Mich., a handle company makes broom handles of 

 beech and maple. At first there was considerable waste which 

 for a time was worked up into window shade rolls and later the 

 longer pieces were sold to toy companies, while the shorter ones 

 were worked into handles for dippers- A plant near the handle 

 factory uses the waste for shoe lasts. There is now forming a 

 company to utilize the waste by making toothpicks, clothes-pins, 

 ten pins and nail keg headings. — Woodcraft. 



The most important of the minor industries 



... which are dependent upon Paper Birch is 



the spool industry'. 20,000,000 board feet 



n- I, ^^^ cut every year for this purpose and of 



■ this 4,000,000 feet are shipped to England 



in the form of spool bars. Great accuracy 



is required for the different size spools, and Birch is used because 



it holds its shape perfectly after thorough seasoning. Also it 



turns nicely on the lathe and presents a smooth clean surface. 



No satisfactory substitute has been found. 



