1022 



Canadian Forestry Journal, March, 1917 



and when both series are complete 

 the data will cover all the North 

 American woods. 



A study of the comparative value 

 and characteristics of mine timbers 

 available for use in the coal mines of 

 Nova Scotia. This includes strength 

 tests and a study of the decay of such 

 timbers both in the mines and in 

 storage. Already considerable im- 

 provement has been made in storage 

 conditions so as to greatly decrease 

 the loss from rotting in the piles. 



A study of the fundamental factors 

 involved in the drying of wood and 

 phenomena related to change of mois- 

 ture content such as shrinkage, hy- 

 groscopicity, migration of moisture 

 in the wood, heat conductivity, etc. 



A study of methods looking for 

 the utilization of waste sulphite li- 

 quor. About 600,000 tons of wood 

 per year is consumed in the manu- 

 facture of sulphite pulp in Canada 

 and approximately one half of that 

 amount of organic material is thrown 

 to waste in the liquor. The problem 

 of finding a use for this material is 

 a very compHcated one and although 

 a great deal of research has been done 

 on the subject by various English, 

 German and American chemists only 

 results of moderate value have been 

 obtained. At present the work of 

 these laboratories is confined to the 

 compilation of all available informa- 

 tion in connection with this subject, 

 leaving experimental work to be done 

 later on. 



A study of the fundamental factors 

 involved in the beating of paper pulp. 

 This beating process is a very im- 

 portant one in the manufacture of 

 paper, particularly in the case of finer 

 grades, and is one concerning which 

 very little is known. A full under- 

 standing of the reactions involves a 

 very complete knowledge of the col- 

 loidal characteristics of cellulose thus 

 leading to very involved questions of 

 physical chemistry. This research is 

 one of the type mentioned as being 

 of so complicated a nature as to neces- 

 sarily extend over several years but 

 is one which we are peculiarly well 

 situated to attempt. 



xV study having for its object the 

 discovery of a commercially feasible 

 process of creosoting Jack pine and 



Eastern hemlock for use as railway 

 ties. 



An investigation as to the feasi- 

 bility of chipping, drying and baling 

 pulpwood for shipment and a de- 

 termination of the value of chipped 

 and dried wood as compared with 

 round wood. There is a possibihty 

 that there may be a saving in freight 

 effected which will make possible the 

 utilization of forest areas which are 

 now going to waste. 



An investigation of the chemical 

 composition of wood, particularly of 

 those woods which may be of use for 

 paper pulp. This work involves the 

 testing and standardization of meth- 

 ods of analysis and the examination 

 of the composition of several import- 

 ant species both in the green condi- 

 tion and after different degrees of 

 seasoning. 



An investigation of the possibility 

 of treating prairie grown woods so as 

 to make possible ther use as fence 

 posts. 



A study of the oils produced by the 

 destructive distillation of wood, both 

 resinous and hardwood, with refer- 

 ence to their use in ore flotation. 



A study of the relative durabilities 

 of Canadian woods when exposed to 

 various kinds of wood .destroying 

 fungi. 



A study of the fibre dimensions of 

 Canadian woods. This is particular- 

 ly important to the paper industry 

 but is also of value in other work as 

 well as being of considerable scientific 

 interest. 



A study of the sulphite cooking 

 process and the factors involved in 

 cooking various species of wood for 

 pulp. It is hoped that a thorough 

 study of the process from a scientific 

 point of view combined with practical 

 experience will point out ways in 

 which the process can be improved. 



The investigations mentioned do 

 not include any but the outstanding 

 problems. Besides these there is 

 submitted to the Laboratories a con- 

 tinuous flow of minor questions which 

 the laboratory equipment enables us 

 to answer quite readily. Questions 

 regarding the identification of wood 

 from samples, for instance, are ans- 

 wered daily for people all over the 

 country at no cost to them. 



