14.4 The Forest Products Laboratory 



gressive manufacturers, and a tendency to procrastinate, even in this, 

 has been rather common. The condition of the industry looking to the 

 immediate future demands that these problems be attacked in such a 

 manner as to produce definite results in the shortest time, for with the 

 growing scarcity of pulp wood in the eastern and central states and 

 our increasing dependence upon Canada for the supply of raw mate- 

 rial, a situation has been created, which can be rightfully viewed with 

 alarm. While some research either in a haphazard manner or follow- 

 ing a carefully coordinated plan has been carried on by the paper in- 

 dustry, it is safe to say that only those organizations in which the 

 program of research was definite have succeeded in placing the manu- 

 facture of their products upon a sound basis and are now able to take 

 full advantage of their foresight. 



When research is mentioned among paper mill men, and other 

 timber users, too often the audience is unsympathetic if not hostile, 

 and the tendency of many mill operators has been to look with dis- 

 favor upon the efforts of investigators along scientific rather than the 

 immediate practical lines. 



In spite of all this, the pulp and paper section of the Forest 

 Products Laboratory has been striving for the past ten years with 

 funds and personnel inadequate for the work in which they are engaged 

 to solve some of the pressing problems of the industry. The field is a 

 large one, and most of the work pioneer in character. How success- 

 ful they have been in their work may be judged from the following 

 recital of the major problems which they have attacked and are now 

 studying. 



The need for definite specifications to cover the purchase of pulp 

 wood has long been recognized. That the present basis of purchase, 

 using the cord as the unit of measurement, is inaccurate cannot be 

 doubted. The ordinary piled cord 4'x4'x8' may, depending on the 

 diameter of the bolts, freedom from knots, etc., contain by actual 

 measurement from 104 to 65 cu. ft. of solid wood. Further, the pres- 

 ent method of buying wood does not make a proper allowance for the 

 percentage of decay. More than four years ago an attempt was made 

 to interest pulp mills in this problem, but until very recently nothing 

 has been accomplished. However, field work financed by the Ameri- 

 can Pulp and Paper Association is now under way, and no doubt 

 exists but that the results accomplished will meet expectations. 



