74 The Fokest Products Labokatoky 



are the standardization of lumber grades and specifications; effect 

 upon the cost of production of various sizes and grades of logs; effi- 

 ciency and character of mill operations ; studies of processes of manu- 

 facturing furniture, vehicle, cooperage, etc., and the wood waste 

 incident thereto; and the correlation of the properties of different 

 species to their most efficient use. 



As an example of the tremendous possi])ilities of conserving 

 timber through such studies the dimension-stock problem may be 

 mentioned. The total requirements of the secondary wood-using in- 

 dustries for wood in dimension stock sizes amounts to eight or nine 

 billion feet annually. Of this amount, some five or six billion feet is 

 small dimension stock which is cut from standard lumber sizes after 

 the lumber has reached the wood-using factory. The extent to which 

 this practice causes waste cannot be accurately gauged, but it is the 

 opinion of many of those who have carefully studied the problem that 

 a large percentage of this small dimension stock material could be cut 

 at tlie mills from material now wasted. 



The laboratory plans to assign a number of men to this dimension 

 stock problem with the ultimate object of determining by accurate 

 studies the most efficient process by which the standing tree can be 

 manufactured into the dimension standards required by the wood- 

 using industries. This is merely one of the many important problems 

 which should be undertaken in the same field. 



Estimated Saving, Ten Billion Feet 



The foregoing indicates, in a very broad way, the character of the 

 work in which the laboratory is now engaged and tlie large and profit- 

 able field before it. There can be no doubt of the ^'alue of research 

 work of the character which is being done, whether performed by the 

 laboratory or some other organization. It is one of the most effective 

 and practical measures for meeting the forest problem. There is no 

 extravagance in the statement that it is entirely feasible to save ten 

 billion feet annually through better utilization. 



