328 PLANTS AND MAN 



5. Miscellaneous Products 



Excelsior. — This widely used packing material, mattress 

 and upholstery stuffing consists of thin shreds of a light-colored, 

 soft, wood cut from bolts of varying lengths by the action of knives 

 and sharp fine steel teeth. The leading woods used, in order of 

 their importance and desirability, are basswood (which is most 

 desirable but very limited in quantity), aspens and poplars (which 

 make up 50% of excelsior wood), yellow pine, yellow poplar, 

 white pine, willow, and white cedar. 



Products from saw^dust and shavings. — As previously 

 mentioned, an enormous quantity of sawdust and shavings, 

 formerly disposed of in waste burners at a considerable cost, is 

 finding profitable use along many and varied lines. One of these 

 uses is in the production of wood flour, which is manufactured 

 largely from sawdust by grinding between stones. It is used in the 

 manufacture of many forms of wood plastics, artificial carvings, 

 explosives, wall paper, linoleums, fiber boards, lamp shades and 

 numerous other articles. 



Sawdust is widely used as such for its absorbent and insulating 

 qualities, and mixed with chips, shavings, and wood scraps it is 

 used as a fuel in localities where sawmills are abundant, especially 

 on the west coast. Recently developed machines compress shav- 

 ings and sawdust, under high pressure into short log form for 

 fireplace use. This form of fuel is known as briquettes. 



Dimension stock. — ^This consists of small wood cuttings, 

 especially hardwoods, used in the manufacture of tool handles, 

 vehicle and implement parts, and furniture. It may be cut from 

 lumber stock, but is being increasingly derived from sawmill 

 waste in the forms of slabs, edgings, trimmings, and low grade 

 or defective lumber, hence is important in furthering complete 

 and efficient utilization of wood. The leading woods used are ash, 

 hickory, maple, oak, elm, locust, basswood, southern pine, and 

 Douglas fir. 



FuELw^ooD. — Next to lumber, fuel wood is the most important 

 wood product of the American forests, constituting almost 30 % 

 of all wood products. Its importance has decreased with increas- 

 ing use of coal and electricity, and seems likely to continue on 



