24 FOREST PRODUCTS 



high as 60,000 cords annually. Some of our modern pulp mills consume 

 between 200 and 250 cords per day. Assuming about 15 cords as the 

 average cut per acre for pulp wood of all kinds, and a yearly consump- 

 tion of 6,000,000 cords, 40,000 acres of forest are cut over every year 

 for this country's pulp wood supply. 



Woods Used. 



Nearly every native wood grown in this country is capable of being 

 made into paper. Some woods are, however, obviously much more 

 desirable, based upon the requirements outlined in the foregoing para- 

 graphs. The softwoods are most amenable to treatment and are pre- 

 ferred. 



In 1916 at least eighteen different kinds of native woods were used 

 in the manufacture of paper pulp. 



Of all woods used, however, spruce holds the pre-eminent position, 

 since the quality and character of this wood is admirably fitted for use, 

 both in the mechanical and chemical processes of pulp making. It is 

 actually used in all of the modern processes. In 1916 it constituted 

 over 59 per cent of the total quantity of wood used for pulp. There is a 

 tendency to decrease the percentage of spruce, as compared with other 

 woods, because of its growing scarcity, and the introduction of new 

 processes which make possible the use of other woods heretofore seldom 

 used for this purpose. Most of the spruce used is the eastern red spruce 

 (Picea rubens) although white spruce (Picea canadensis) is being 

 used more and more, especially in eastern Canada. Western spruce 

 (Picea sitchensis) is rapidly coming into prominence and is used on 

 the northern Pacific coast and in British Columbia. It is abundantly 

 available in this section and it is likely that western spruce, together 

 with other spruces in the Far West, which are available in large quan- 

 tities will attract the location of many new pulp mills in that district. 

 Spruce is an ideal pulp wood because it has long, strong fibers, which are 

 comparatively free from resins, gums, tannins, etc. ; it is light in color, is 

 generally sound and is fairly free from knots, rot, and other defects. It 

 also contains the maximum quantity of cellulose, which can be freed 

 from other substances without great difficulty. Nearly one-fourth of all 

 the spruce used for wood pulp in this country is imported from Canada. 



Hemlock ranks second among our leading pulp woods and in 1916 

 it averaged over 14 per cent of the total pulpwood supply. It is reduced 

 almost entirely by the sulphite process and is very largely used in the 

 Lake states, especially in Wisconsin. The wood is inferior to spruce, 



