A Dkcfaxiai, Recokd .51 



taken and certain 2>i'iiiciples determined, the adoption of wliich cnt 

 down tlie losses very materially. It was evident, however, that further 

 investigation would serve to improve the art still more, and plans were 

 made for an extensive project. A steam-bending machine and steam- 

 ing retort were installed and preliminary tests had been made when 

 the armistice was signed. Further work has been temporarily aban- 

 doned because of tlie lack of funds. 



^Vn interesting pliase of tlie drying situation was that connected 

 witli the conditioning of walnut gunstock blanks. The quantity of 

 blanks needed was l)eyond belief, and naturally, long before the entry 

 of the United States into the war. air-dry su])plies of walnut had been 

 absorbed l)y rifle manufacturers filling contracts for the allies. The 

 first attempts to kiln dry green walnut wlien the availal)le air-dry 

 material disappeared, resulted disastrously — one instance being re- 

 corded when the opening of the kilns at one plant at the end of a run 

 disclosed 60, 000 totally ruined blanks with a loss of $72,000 in mate- 

 rial costs. One firm with an order for two million rifles for Russian 

 use called on the lal)oratorv in this crisis and tlie ai)plication of the 

 drying })rinciples already perfected, su])plemented with needed varia- 

 tions indicated after a study of tlie problems of this specific material, 

 reduced losses to less than two per cent. When the United States 

 itself entered the market for greater (piantities of rifle blanks than 

 ever, facilities existed for filling orders without loss and with l)ut little 

 delay. 



Additional assistance was rendered in various ways, especially in 

 the preparation of specifications and in the selection of substitute 

 species for those difficult to secure in sufficient quantity. The fund 

 of data on the ])roperties of wood accumidated since the laboratory's 

 incej)tion. couj)le(l with the ex])erience of the staff, ])roved of very 

 great value in this M'ork. 



JFar Time Bo.v Work 



The first intimation that there was going to be trouble in connec- 

 tion with the boxing and crating of goods for overseas came when the 

 Ordnance Department sent out recjuests for bids on boxes, using its 

 standard specifications which called for high grade white pine. 'No 

 bids came ])ack. The help of the laboratory was souglit, and, on the 



