FOREST PRODUCTS LABORATORY. 29 



DECAY IN BUILDING TIMBER. 



Extensive investigations to determine the prevalence of decay in 

 buildings throughout the United States have been made, and from in- 

 formation collected over a lo-year period recommendations have been 

 developed as to changes in architectural design, proper species for 

 different uses, and suitable antiseptic treatments. 



SANITATION OF STORAGE YARDS. 



Unsuspected losses by wood users resulting from improper storage of 

 wood aggregate several million dollars annually. Studies and recom- 

 mendations have been made on storage of general lumber stocks at 

 sawmills and retail yards, the storage of manufactured wood products, 

 such as vehicle parts, boxwoods, veneers, and staves, and also the storage 

 of pulp w^ood and pulp. Infection begun in the yard frequently is 

 passed on in the manufactured product to other wood with which the 

 infected material is used. 



HOW TO USE THE LABORATORY. 



INFORMATION FREE. 



The Laboratory, being a public institution, makes its information 

 available to the public as rapidly as possible. This it does through 

 personal contact and through reports written during the progress of 

 investigation and upon their completion, so that all information of value 

 is published, either as bulletins or circulars by the Government, in 

 technical notes, by correspondence, or as special articles in trade journals 

 and technical and scientific papers. 



Investigations are undertaken both independently and on a coopera- 

 tive basis, but all investigations must be of a research character that will 

 give information or results of value in attaining the general objects aimed 

 at by the Laboratory. 



