STRUCTURAL PURPOSES 



number of professional and educational institutions have been 

 accumulating data for many years. While some of the investi- 

 gations were not in accordance with a comprehensive plan 

 which would lead to uniformly definite results, sufficient facts 

 are at hand to meet all practical requirements. 



Timber's The fundamentals in the proper and satisfac- 

 Legitimate tory use of structural timber are that the kind 

 Place and grade should be properly selected to meet 



specific service requirements; that the members 

 should be incorporated in the structure in accordance with the 

 best engineering and architectural knowledge of safe and per- 

 manent design; and where not suitable for a particular use 

 in its natural state, that the timber should be treated to prevent 

 decay or retard fire and thus adapted to the requirements of the 

 structure. Any building material may fail or become a menace 

 to human life and property if improperly used. The lumber 

 industry knows that its material is safe and economical where 

 properly used. It does not want lumber used under any other 

 condition. 



Educational Structural timber and wood products generally 

 Publicity have not been extensively advertised, because of 

 the assumption that their merits were already 

 known. As a matter of fact, wood has been such a common 

 everyday article that the universal familiarity with it has led 

 to a very general rather than specific knowledge of its qualities 

 and uses. More definite information is to be disseminated, not 

 because the average engineer, builder or carpenter does not 

 know the general value of wood for construction purposes, but 

 for the reason that the best use and the safest use come from 

 more intimate knowledge of kinds and grades of timber in rela- 

 tion to the place they are to be used. The strength character- 

 istics, resistance to decay, and possibilities of treatment to 

 adapt non-durable or cheaper grades to proper condition of 

 service are neglected subjects. Since wood is a natural prod- 



Page five 



