BLEMISHES IN HICKORY. 69 



flexible, but not durable in contact with the soil. It is used exten- 

 sively in the manufacture of carriages and agricultural implements 

 and for ax and tool handles. There is in consequence a good demand 

 for the lumber at a high price." 1 "It is the general impression of 

 the hickory users, . . . that the supply is rapidly diminishing. 

 It is certain that the high grades of hickory required for vehicle 

 parts and for other purposes are being obtained only with increasing 

 difficulty. The average value per thousand feet reported for the 

 lumber is exceeded by only one of the 29 leading species manu- 

 factured, namely, walnut." 2 Defects in hickory caused by sap- 

 suckers are specifically mentioned in the Inspection Rules of the 

 Hardwood Manufacturers' Association, where it is stated that the 

 third grade of material is "to consist of the light-weight wood . . . 

 and will admit of small bird pecks, black streaks, and small knots." 

 Hickory wagon and implement stock must be clear with the exception 

 of axles, single and double trees, and neck yokes, "which will admit 

 bird pecks, streaks, and solid knots that will not impair the strength 

 of the piece." A loss of about $20 per thousand feet of lumber is 

 caused by the reduction in grade on account of bird pecks, and the 

 aggregate loss is very large on account of the prevalence of sapsucker 

 work on hickories throughout their ranges. On Plummers Island, 

 Md., 10 of the 34 hickory trees on a certain area bore sapsucker work, 

 and on another area not far distant on the mainland 38 out of 156, a 

 little more than 25 per cent. 



Not only do bird pecks occur on a considerable percentage of 

 hickory trees, but they are characteristically abundant on individual 

 trees. Many trees are ringed from top to bottom by sapsucker work, 

 and not infrequently trees are considerably distorted by large girdles. 



Mr. A. T. Boisen, formerly of the Forest Service, writes as follows: 



The most serious injury to which the hickories are liable is that known as the "bird 

 peck." . . . The damage done in this way is very extensive, and an immense 

 amount of wood, perhaps as much as 10 per cent of the merchantable material, is left 

 in the woods on account of bird pecks. 3 



Mr. Carlos G. Bates, of the Forest Service, says: 



The damage done by the sapsucker is immense, and may amount to 30 per cent of 

 the total value of the hickories in some localities, and for the entire United States at 

 ieasl 10 per cent. 



On the basis of the percentages given by Messrs. Boisen and Bates 

 (and according to the writer's experience their estimates are conserva- 

 tive) the loss to hickory producers of the United States on hickory 

 left standing on account of bird pecks amounts to about $600,000 

 per year. To this must be added the loss sustained by the producer 



i Circular 62, Forest Service, p. 2, 1906. 



2 Lumber Cut of the United States in 1907, Bureau of Census, p. 33, 1908. 



3 See also Boisen, A. T., and Newlin, J. A., Bull. 80, Forest Service, p. 32, 1910. 



