136 



Canadian Forestry Journal, July, 1915 



Proposed Divisions. 



Althouoh it is not feasil)le to establish 

 more tliaii the four above-mentioned tech- 

 nical divisions at the present time there 

 are a number of other branches of work 

 in the field of forest products which de- 

 mand attention and which should be taken 

 care of in separate divisions some time in 

 the future. Tliere are decided limitations 

 to our accommodation and facilities for 

 experimental work in the present tempor- 

 ary quarters and provision for new divi- 

 sions is somewhat uncertain until we have 

 a new and fully equipped building. 



A study of the lumber industry with 

 special reference to sawmill operations and 

 waste wood utilization is }>erhaps the most 

 pressing of these needs. Since lumber is 

 by far the most important of our forest 

 products it is clear that there should be 

 made a special study of this industry from 

 beginning to end. The technical assistance 

 which these laboratories might give to the 

 industry would be partly in carrying on 

 direct investigations but probably more in 

 suggestng improved methods of operation 

 and utilization of waste. 



A Division of Chemistry would provide 

 for experimental work on the recovery and 

 refining of essential oils, turpentine, rosin, 

 tannins, dyes, potash and other products 

 from the leaves, branches, bark, trunk and 

 roots of trees of various species. 



Destructive distillation of hard and soft 

 wood has attracted considerable attention 

 in Canada. The hardwood industry now 

 provides large quantities of wood alcohol, 

 acetic acid, acetone and charcoal. It is in- 

 teresting to note that wood alcohol is now 

 in great demand for the manufacture of 

 formaldehyde to disinfect the trenches and 

 hospitals at the front, while acetone is 

 necessary in large quantities as a solvent 

 for gun cotton in the manufacture of cor- 

 dite, which is the explosive used in shrap- 

 nel and rifle cartridges. An investigation 

 is now in progress to study the possibili- 

 ties of resinous wood distillation as applied 

 to Western Yellow pine stumps in British 

 Columbia. The products of this process 

 are turpentine, pine oil, light oils, pine tar 

 oil and charcoal, together with a variety 

 of secondary products. These laboratories 

 have been of assistance in a general way 

 in promoting these industries. 



The hydrolysis of wood for the produc- 

 tion of sugar from which ethyl alcohol 

 (grain alcohol) can be made and the use 

 of the wood residue as cattle food are 

 discoveries of recent years which give 

 promise of important industrial develop- 

 ment in the future. At present the labora- 

 tories are unable to do any experimental 

 work along this line. 



The investigations made by the labora- 

 tories are regulated by an Advisory Com- 

 mittee of seven members who represent a 

 wide range of experience and interest. 



The members of the statf are calleJ upon 

 from time to time to give lectures before 

 scientific societies, university students or 

 the general public and a good deal of in- 

 terest has been stimulated in this way. 



The publications contributed to date by 

 the laboratories are Forestry Branch Cir- 

 cular No. 8, ' ' Forest Products Labora- 

 tories, " Circular No. 9, "Chemical Meth- 

 ods for Utilizing Wood Wastes" and Bul- 

 letin No. 49, "Treated Wood Block Pav- 

 ing." 



An important function of the labora- 

 tories has been that of answering inquiries 

 on forest products. In this way the labora- 

 tories have undertaken to act as a bureau 

 of information for the benefit of the pub- 

 lic. 



The laboratories are co-operating as far 

 as possible with various industries, rail- 

 ways, universities, societies and indivi- 

 duals. In fact the use of wood is a sub- 

 ject which is so extended and varied that 

 the problems can only be solved by the 

 united efforts of all who are concerned. 

 It is a mistake to think that the Forest 

 Products Laboratories can, in some mys- 

 terious way, bring about a new era in the 

 wood-using industries and by a wave of 

 the wand transform all our wood waste 

 into products of great value. This is a 

 slow process which can only be brought 

 about by faithful and systematic work and 

 the gradual introduction of scientific 

 methods into industiy. The co-operation 

 and interest of everyone engaged in the 

 handling of wood and its products is neces- 

 sary if Canada is to maintain a high jilace 

 among the nations in the proper utilization 

 of her forest resources. 



JOHN S. BATES. 



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