THE NEW FOREST PRODUCTS LABORATORY 



403 



lieving that fiber as a box material has 

 its place, and has come to stay, Mr. 

 Sackett has reached certain conclusions 

 under which he regards wooden boxes 

 as more desirable for general use under 

 present conditions. As an element in 

 conservation, fiber has the same draw- 

 back as wood pulp, for since everything 

 can be used its adoption on a large 

 scale tends to more complete forest de- 

 struction. The question is now being 

 taken up by the National Box Manu- 

 facturers' Association and National 

 Lumber Manufacturers' Association. 

 Accurate information is sought on the 

 amount of business lost by wooden box 

 manufacturers, and on the character 

 of the material going into the fiber, 

 whether mill waste or material that 

 should go into high-grade lumber. 



These few examples illustrate the wide 

 range of inquiries continually opening 

 before this office, which, through close 

 relations with the manufacturers, can 

 do much to promote the most com- 

 plete and economic utilization of all the 

 products of forest and mill. It is the 

 business of the office to show the manu- 

 facturer how he can add to the profits 

 of his business by reducing waste and 

 economizing production. 



CONCLUSION 



For several days following the open- 

 ing of the laboratory, the heads of the 

 sections and divisions of the branch of 



products from all of the different of- 

 fices were in conference at Madison, 

 with the purpose of developing their 

 program and organizing their work 

 so as to take up slack all along 

 the line, cut red tape as much as 

 possible, and bring the methods of their 

 branch up to the highest standard of 

 business efficiency. In the systematic 

 methods and the actuating spirit of this 

 conference, with its strong esprit du 

 corps, there is something admirable and 

 full of assurance for the future of the 

 great work entrusted to this group of 

 young men. 



The fact cannot be too strongly em- 

 phasized that the new laboratory, as 

 well as every office of the branch, wher- 

 ever located, is national in its work and 

 outlook. Removal from Washington 

 does not localize it in the least. In fact, 

 it broadens the outlook, inasmuch as 

 it takes it out of the official atmosphere 

 of the national capital, right among the 

 people who are doing the work with 

 which its activities are directly con- 

 cerned. Throusfh its several offices, it 

 reaches into all parts of the country, 

 touching the users of wood at all points, 

 and supplementing with its admirable 

 facilities for experiment the daily prac- 

 tical experience of business. 



The new laboratory is the most ex- 

 tensive and best equipped of its kind 

 in America, and probably in the world, 

 and it is in the hands of a group of 

 men qualified to make good use of it 

 in the country's service. 



