FOREST PRODUCTS 



CHAPTER I 

 GENERAL 



INTRODUCTION 



IN ancient times the harvesting and use of the products of the forest 

 constituted the entire practice of forestry. Then no thought of the 

 future was necessary and there was little discrimination as between the 

 various species and the adaptability and suitability of each to its par- 

 ticular and proper uses. As the raw products of the forest became 

 scarcer and, therefore, more valuable in conformity with the law of sup- 

 ply and demand, new methods were constantly devised, as a result of 

 experimentation, to put our wood supplies to their most profitable use. 

 As our most valuable trees became exhausted, others were required to 

 take their places, and in spite of the rapid introduction of wood sub- 

 stitutes, new uses are being constantly found for wood. 



Every species of wood is characterized by its individual structure, 

 color, grain, etc., which serve to distinguish it from other species. It is 

 these same characteristics which must be studied and investigated to 

 determine their adaptability and value for the different wood uses. For 

 example, longleaf pine is strong, stiff, durable and grows tall and straight 

 and, therefore, makes an excellent construction timber; spruce has long, 

 soft, strong and pliable fiber and is comparatively free from resin and, 

 therefore, makes a splendid wood pulp; oak is hard, strong, durable and 

 has a pleasing grain, so it makes an excellent furniture wood. Each kind 

 of wood is especially useful and adaptable for certain specific arts and 

 industries. 



Altogether, shelter, next to food is the most important commodity in 

 human economy. According to Fernow, over one-half of our popula- 

 tion live in wooden houses and two-thirds of the population use wood 

 for fuel. Besides wood, which constitutes a large part of the total 

 utilitarian value of our forests, they supply the following: 



