UTILIZATION OF BASSWOOD. 7 



equivalent to about 13,000,000 board feet of lumber. In 1911, 33,042 

 cords of basswood were reported for excelsior, equivalent to about 

 16,500,000 board feet of lumber. Whether amounts now consumed are 

 greater or less than these figures, and how much, can not be stated with 

 certainty, because, although the demand for products of basswood 

 from these industries has increased greatly, the supply of the timber 

 has been more restricted in recent years. It is not safe, therefore, to 

 assume any increase over these figures, especially since the sawmill 

 cut of basswood lumber has suffered a considerable reduction during 

 the period. Constant inroads have been made into the remaining 

 stands of basswood to fulfill the increased demand. Smaller and in 

 some cases second-growth timber has been cut so that both quantity 

 and quality have been lowered. 



Pulpwood statistics are available for the year 1920. The bass- 

 wood reported as used for pulpwood during that year totaled 

 10,469 cords, equivalent to about 5,000,000 board feet of lumber. 

 The number of sets of basswood slack-cooperage heading reported 

 manufactured during the year 1919 was 3,078,000, equivalent to 

 a little more than 6,000,000 board feet of lumber. These differ- 

 ent items, which make up practically the entire demand for bass- 

 wood timber, total about 235,000,000 board feet. It is probable, 

 therefore, that the present annual drain upon the supply amounts to 

 between 225,000,000 and 250,000,000 board feet. Assuming it is 

 250,000,000 board feet, the aggregate stand of basswood saw timber 

 shown in figure 1 (9,012,000 board feet) without taking into con- 

 sideration the growth that may take place during the period, will 

 last approximately 40 years. If we are to continue using basswood 

 provision will have to be made for growing trees to take the place of 

 those cut. Natural growth not protected from fires while young will 

 not fill the requirement gap toward the close of the 40-year period. 



Little basswood is used for rough building construction, because it 

 is not so strong as many lower-priced structural timbers, and it 

 is not satisfactory in locations favorable to decay. Also, compara- 

 tively small quantities are used for fuel, because its heating value is 

 low compared with other woods, such as beech and oak. Reports 

 from wood-using industries of the United States obtained during the 

 years 1909 to 1913 show an annual consumption of approximately 

 370,000,000 board feet of basswood lumber by factories. Adding to 

 this the timber used for veneer, excelsior, pulpwood, and slack 

 cooperage, brings the total to over 400,000,000 board feet, compared 

 with 225,000,000 or 250,000,000 board feet, the probable present 

 amount used. Evidently there has been a considerable reduction in 

 the amount of basswood used during the past 10 years. 



