302 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



Europe for use against the trenches of the German 

 armies. Fuse plugs are used to protect the threads of 

 the fuse socket, and to close the powder compartment of 

 a loaded shell, when in transit, and when on the battle- 

 field the shell is about to be used, the plug is removed and 

 the threaded fuse substituted. Bronze, steel or other 

 metals were formerly used for these plugs, but the Cana- 

 dian manufacturers especially have been coming to use 

 birch instead. White and yellow birch, beech and maple 

 are all used, with white birch in the lead, because these 

 woods do not change in size with the changes in climatic 

 conditions. 



At present, owing to the suddenly developed demand, 

 these fuse plugs are not being made on automatic lathes, 

 but this type of lathe is being developed to enable larger 

 quantities to be turned out. Including the felling of the 

 tree there are seven steps in the making of these plugs. 

 As against the mining, smelting, refining, molding and 

 casting of the metal plugs before the work of manu- 

 facture is fairly under way, the wooden plug offers amaz- 

 ing economical gain, even with a smaller cost. The fin- 

 ished plugs are shipped to the ammunition factories in 

 bags containing 1,000 plugs each. 



^ 



The branding of lumber is spreading throughout the 

 nation at a rapid rate. This is the greatest modern 

 development of the industry, and is advancing so rapidly 

 that the lumber associations can hardly keep up with 

 the demand for "certified timber." 



"Make livery Timber a Promissory Note." 

 This is the phrase which is carrying the trade-marking 

 idea into every part of the land. It is the talking exempli- 

 fication of the new spirit among lumbermen to standardize 

 lumber, make it a recognized quality product, so that 

 architects will not be afraid that their specifications will 

 not be carried out. The spread of the "certified lumber," 

 was shown at a recent conference in Chicago, when it 

 was found by a poll of the secretaries of various lumber 

 organizations, that every association in the country was 

 either considering branding its output, or was already 

 doing this branding. 



The United States will have a lumber exhibit at the 

 Paris Reconstruction Exposition, which opens May 1, 

 and in which the French, with a preparedness attitude 

 which might well be duplicated by American lumbermen, 

 in their fight for the retention of their proper place in the 

 building industry, are beginning to plan for the rebuilding 

 of the sections devasted by the war. The exhibit in Paris 

 will be made by the Southern Pine Association, and will 

 be in charge of that association's foreign representative, 

 but while essentially a southern pine exhibit, will be so 

 displayed as to portray generally the possibilities of 

 American lumber. In its arrangement it will be a general 

 American exhibit, not merely of the southern states. 

 Three typical farm buildings, and a small mill-constructed 

 building will be among the most striking "features in the 

 exhibit. 



PURPOSE OF ARBOR DAY 



RIIOR Day is being perverted in too many States 

 into a mere day for the inculcation of the 

 aesthetic side of tree and bird life. Arbor Day 

 has a bigger purpose, a bigger scope. It should be 

 observed from the economic side as well as the aesthetic 

 and artistic." This is the declaration of State Superin- 

 tendent of Instruction C. P. Cary, of the Wisconsin 

 school system. 



"Arbor Day should teach conservation of the forests, 

 both for the future timber supply of the nation," he says, 

 "as the second industry in importance in America, as well 

 as for the protection of the head waters of our rivers. 

 Arbor Day should do more, it should teach the use of 

 lumber in a way that the school children can understand, 

 so they will realize the importance of trees, as well as 

 their beauty. 



"I find on looking over the Arbor Day literature of 

 many States that Wisconsin stands practically alone in 

 this recognition of the dual purpose of Arbor day. For 

 several years past we have taken advantage of the day 

 to teach the children of the State the value of trees, the 

 uses of lumber, conservation as well as tree-planting, and 

 the great principles of the conservation of the forest for 

 the future needs of the commonwealth. We do not over- 

 look the artistic side of the day, and I do not believe 

 that many States issue a more artistic Arbor Day publi- 

 cation than that of Wisconsin. But we also teach the 

 children the use of timber, the value of a tree, not alone 

 its beauty for giving shade in the city, but its use in 

 the forests and how every daily habit involves the use 

 of something of wood. 



"We have gone deeply into fire prevention, and in the 

 last two years have broadened our work in this line. We 

 have begun to teach the children that the way to con- 

 serve the forests is not alone to prevent forest fires and 

 wasteful cutting of timber, but also to prevent the burning 

 of houses by carelessness in the home. Every house that 

 is burned means that many trees must be felled to provide 

 the lumber for a new home. 



"When I say that other state school departments should 

 teach the economic side of the tree, I am advocating, 

 therefore, what we are already teaching in Wisconsin." 



A CREDITABLE PUBLICATION 



THE Empire Forester, an annual publication, by the 

 student body of the New York State College of 

 Forestry at Syracuse, N. Y., has just been pub- 

 lished. It contains very interesting articles written by 

 students, graduates and eminent foresters, and is amply 

 supplied with cuts to illustrate the articles. The cover 

 design, together with the general makeup of the magazine, 

 reflects great credit on the representatives of the student 

 body in charge. 



