56 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



The wooden shingle in relation to 

 fire prevention. 



Educational work regarding the right 

 use of wood, so that the wood used may 

 accord more closely to the service re- 

 quirements. 



Information regarding the preserva- 

 tive treatment of wood against decay. 



The meeting was addressed by var- 

 ious men, including Dr. Herman Von 

 Schrenk, consulting timber engineer of 

 St. Louis ; L. W. Crow, president Chi- 

 cago Lumbermen's Association; F. A. 

 Hofheins, of the Transfer Lumber & 

 Shingle Company, North Tonawanda, 

 N. Y. ; Julius Seidel, wholesale and 

 retail lumber dealer, St. Louis, Mo.; 

 Henry F. Weiss, of the Forest Prod- 

 ucts Laboratory ; Abram W. Herbst, of 

 the American Society for Fire Preven- 

 tion, and others who represented lum- 

 ber associations and city and county 

 lumber yards. 



The topics discussed included gen- 

 eral fire prevention and the specific 

 problem of fire-proofing wood ; the 

 anti-wood publicity and legislation in 

 many towns and cities ; the problems of 

 the wholesale and retail dealers ; while 

 as having direct bearing on the meet- 

 ing, the specific question of the neces- 

 sity for close cooperation between all 

 branches of the lumber business was 

 thoroughly discussed. 



The work before the committee of 

 five and the individuals and commit- 

 tees to whom subjects are assigned for 

 presentation at the first meeting of the 



Federation, is of large magnitude and 

 great importance. Some of the sub- 

 jects will require extensive investiga- 

 tions and cannot be reported upon in 

 full for some time; while other topics 

 such as building ordinances are urgent, 

 the definite plans for combating un- 

 fair legislation should be available in 

 the near future. The whole range of 

 topics gives a field for immediate and 

 future consideration and report, which 

 will require careful organization of the 

 work and a liberal use of funds to sup- 

 port it. It is a logical assumption that 

 the reports of the first general meet- 

 ing will largely deal with the develop- 

 ment of plans and policy. 



If any suggestions were to be made 

 regarding the Forest Products Fed 

 eration, they would include reference to 

 the need of more funds for the work 

 of the immediate future and of a defi- 

 nite plan of financing future work. It 

 might also be suggested that closer co- 

 operation be arranged with organiza- 

 tions outside of the lumber industry. 

 For example, several of the States have 

 well organized forest departments, with 

 State foresters, who have received 

 strong public support, and who could 

 be of great assistance in legislative ac- 

 tivities and general investigations. The 

 American Forestry Association, the 

 stronger State association, and some of 

 the forest schools and agricultural col- 

 leges could also offer effective assist- 

 ance and cooperation. 



Motors for Forest Fire Fighting 



Experiences with forest fires on the national forests this year show that automobile?, where 

 they can be used, furnish the quickest and cheapest transportation for crews of fire fighters. 

 Motor rates are higher than those for teams for the actual time employed, but the total cost per 

 distance traveled and in wages paid to men in getting to fires is much less. The time-saving is 

 self-evident; trips which ordinarily require two days time by team have been made by automobile 

 in a few hours. 



