1906 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



333 



shown that the tupelo can be kiln- 

 dried by the same methods that are 

 used for the red gum, and with equal 

 success. 



There is now in preparation Forest 

 Service Circular 40, a comprehensive 

 treatment of the ''Utilization of Tu- 

 pelo," which will soon be ready for 

 distribution. 



Use of Although it has been 



Jp"' e " Killed known for a number of 

 years that fire-killed tim- 

 ber has a considerable value in rail- 

 road and mining operations in Colo- 

 rado, it has been brought out only 

 recently by the Forest Service that a 

 wide number of uses are open for this 

 timber, and that in certain respects it 

 has actual advantages over green 

 wood. 



These facts are deduced from a 

 study of conditions on the Pikes Peak 

 Forest Reserve, where the ravages of 

 fire have been particularly widespread 

 and destructive. In many instances 

 the burned timber is the only kind 

 available at a particular point, for ex- 

 ample, in proximity to a mine or a spur 

 of railroad, so for timbers and ties the 

 dead material has been used for many 

 years fifteen years at Palmer Lake, 

 seven years at Florissant for railroad 

 ties, and longer than this for mine 

 timbers. Three years ago it was first 

 used for box boards and has proved 

 excellent. In May, 1905, there was a 

 sale for telephone poles. 



The species used are red fir, yellow 

 pine, lodge-pole pine, limber pine, 

 range pine, pinion, Engelmann spruce, 

 and blue spruce. Of these, the pines, 

 red fir, and Engelmann spruce, fur- 

 nish the bulk of the material. Time 

 elapsed since burning seems to make 

 no great difference in the value of the 

 wood, except that when serious check- 

 ing results it loses its value for box 

 purposes. The timber used has been 

 burned all the way from three to fifty- 

 five years. 



The amount o fthis timber which 

 has been used is very considerable. 

 There has been one sale from the re- 

 serve for box boards and one for tele- 

 phone poles, but the three main uses 

 continue to be mine timbers, railroad 



ties, and firewood. 



Red fir is preferred for roailroad 

 ties, then yellow pine, limber pine, and 

 range pine. White pine has been ob- 

 jected to because of its lack of dura- 

 bility, but it isnowtaken in manyplaces. 

 At Rosemont, Colo., burned timber of 

 all kinds is made into ties, some of the 

 material having been burned fifty 

 year ago. It is asserted that dry ties 

 last as long and in many cases longer 

 than green ties. On the Cripple Creek 

 "short line" they were more satisfac- 

 tory than green pine ties from Texas. 

 Dry ties hold a spike well and a tie 

 plate does not cut into the wood so 

 seriously as it does in the case of a 

 green tie. Englemann spruce is as 

 good as other species as far as me- 

 chanical wear is concerned, but it de- 

 cays much quicker and so should be 

 given a preservative treatment. 



Burned timber was first used for 

 boxes by the Denver Crate and Box 

 Lompany in February, 1903, the 

 species used being Engelmann spruce 

 and lodgepole pine, with some red fir 

 and limber pine. The material used 

 had been burned one one-half to four 

 years. The Engelmann spruce was 

 excellent, and the lodgepole pine also 

 gave good results. The fire seasoning 

 had driven the odor out of the pine so 

 that it could be used for packing 

 crackers and biscuits. Also, on ac- 

 count of the perfect seasoning the 

 boxes remained tight when put up and 

 therefore sold better than green boxes. 



For mine timbers all species are 

 used, if of the requisite size. Dry tim- 

 ber is preferred because of its light- 

 ness, durability, and stiffness, all prin- 

 cipally clue to its better seasoning. 



For many purposes fire-killed tim- 

 ber should be preferred to green tim- 

 ber because it is so well seasoned. This 

 seasoning makes it more durable than 

 green timber, and also makes it lighter, 

 so that its cost of transportation is ap- 

 preciably less, and it is therefore avail- 

 able, not only for numerous local uses, 

 but for snipping long distances. 

 Actual experience with the fire-killed 

 timber proves that its utilization 

 should he a source of profit to the 

 reserve. 



