WOOD PRESERVATION AS A FACTOR IN FOREST 



CONSERVATION 



By E. A. STERLING 

 President, American U'ood Preservers' Association 



famine is not likely to come in the life- 

 time of men now living; yet it is quite 

 probable that a crisis will be reached 

 which will affect national prosperity to 

 such an extent as to force a solution of 

 our timber supply problem. 



Wood preservation at present is the 

 strongest factor in the reduction of our 

 annual timber bill, which, for lumber 

 and wood in all forms, reaches an enor- 

 mous total equivalent to at least one 

 hundred billion board feet, worth over 



GHE preservative treatment of 

 timber against decay has de- 

 veloped rapidly into a very im- 

 portant industry, the broad significance 

 of which is not fully appreciated. The 

 industry has assumed large proportions 

 primarily because of its commercial 

 value ; but, in addition, it has a very 

 broad bearing on questions of forest 

 conservation. It helps all wood con- 

 sumers directly by insuring longer life 

 of material and less frequent renewals; 

 while indirectly it is of value to every 

 citizen because it is a factor in keeping 

 down lumber prices and in conserving 

 our forest resources. To the timber- 

 land owners, from lumber magnate to 

 farmer, it means a new and better mar- 

 ket for wood material. 



The forest propaganda movement of 

 the past twenty years has emphasized 

 the need for fire protection, more equi- 

 table forest taxation, closer utilization, 

 and the production of successive forest 

 crops on land unsuited for agriculture. 

 In other words, it is urged that we per- 

 petuate our forest resources by protec- 

 tion and wiser use, so that they will 

 serve our needs. The rapidly increas- 

 ing consumption of timber the amount 

 used per capita being about seven times 

 that in Europe makes the task of pro- 

 viding definitely for our growing re- 

 quirements almost a hopeless one. 

 Without a material decrease in con- 

 sumption, the spectre of a future timber 

 famine, which has been marched out at 

 opportune times to arouse latent public 

 sentiment and hasten forest legislation, 

 may actually materialize to the extent 

 of high prices and a distinct scarcity of 

 certain grades or species of timber. 

 High grade white pine, for example, 

 already commands famine prices, and 

 white oak is rapidly approaching the 

 same condition. An actual timber 



CREOSOTED BEECH CROSS-TIE SHOWIXV, 

 IMPERVIOUS "RED HEART." 



one and one-quarter billion dollars at 

 point of manufacture. Nearly half of 

 this is manufactured lumber produced 

 in mills sawing more than 50,000 feet 

 annually. Preservative treatment not 

 only reduces this drain on the forests 

 by increasing the life of timber and 

 making one stick do the work of two or 

 three, but it permits the use of many 

 inferior woods which v-iuld be usele- 

 without treatment. l-->r the eastern 

 railroads it has kept UK- -oiirce of cross- 

 tie supply nearer home through tin- 

 use of non-durable woods, such as 

 beech, maple, sap pinr, etc., instead of 

 the more expensive white oak and long- 

 leaf pine, which have to be shipped long 

 distances. 



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