CHAPTER XXVIII 

 UTILIZING WASTE FOREST-PRODUCE 



THAT the production of timber, in common with other 

 trades, has of late years been rendered far less remunerative 

 than formerly, owing principally to keen foreign com- 

 petition, is a fact that is now well known, even to the most 

 casual observer. In face of this it behoves us to ask our- 

 selves the question : Do we utilize to the fullest extent 

 the by-products of the forest and woodland, and so diminish 

 waste, and, at the same time, add to the general revenue 

 of the forest department ? By waste produce, or by- 

 products, is meant anything other than wood in the condition 

 in which it is generally used, and includes bark, charcoal, 

 firewood, house and kiln faggots, tar, wood-spirit, turpentine, 

 sawdust, wood-ashes, leaf -soil, etc. That much may be 

 done, both in economy of production and in utilization of 

 waste produce, is well known to those in charge of woods 

 and forests in every part of the country. Where the by- 

 products cannot well be utilized in any of the above-named 

 ways, it would be better, perhaps, to reduce them to ashes ; 

 for, by so doing, insect and fungus life are lessened, and a 

 valuable manure is obtained, particularly rich in potash, 

 whether for grassland or certain farm or garden crops. 



The forest by-products of Great Britain and Ireland 

 are, in the main, applied in the four following ways : 



(1) Firewood. 



(2) Charcoal, for heating purposes, etc. 



(3) Bark for tanning. 



(4) Faggots, for house and kiln purposes. 



Although the British forester has usually little or nothing 

 to do with what we might term the volatile products of 



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