in standing timber, logging equipment, railroads, sawmills, woodworking 

 enterprises, and lumber stocks. The value of our forests and primary forest 

 industries has been estimated at something over 10 billion dollars (fig. 10). 



Lumber production in the United States reached its peak in 1907 when 46 

 billion board feet were produced. Then came a gradual change in the type 

 of construction throughout the country. Wood substitutes came into use. 

 Opportunity for opening new lands, which formerly had meant a big build- 

 ing program, decreased. General business depression that began some two 

 decades later greatly reduced lumber consumption. Production of lumber 

 dropped to 10 billion board feet by 1932; however, business recovery brought 

 about a new building program and lumber production has more than doubled 

 that figure. 



Forests determine the location of many industries. — If the forest is used up 

 without thought of the future, the flourishing mill town soon disappears. 

 The center of lumber production changes as forests are cut away, and 

 industries are often forced to obtain their lumber supply from distant forests. 

 Furniture manufacturing, for example, was centered mainly in Michigan, 

 in proximity to the forests; but now two-thirds of the wood for this indus- 

 try must be shipped in. If the forest is logged in such a way that the young 

 trees are protected and given a chance to provide a continuous supply of 

 timber, then towns and their wood-using industries become permanently 

 established. 



Almost every American industry depends upon the forest for lumber. 

 Even when manufactured goods do not contain wood, they are usually 

 shipped in wooden or wood-fiber containers. 



We do not usually think of wood in connection with mining, yet more 

 than $45,000,000 a year is paid for timber used as supports in mines. 



Different woods for different industries. — Since each species of tree produces 

 wood with characteristics very similar to and differing widely from woods 

 produced by other species, and since the wood of one species may differ in 

 the same log, a wood user has a wide selection. The builder generally uses 

 pine, fir, spruce, hemlock, redwood, cedar, or cypress. The factory turning 

 out boxes and crates uses pine or hemlock, tupelo, and many other kinds of 

 wood. The maker of handles for striking tools, such as the hammer and 

 ax, needs hickory. The maker of handles for shovels, hoes, rakes, and 

 forks uses ash. Handle stocks must be hard, strong, tough, and stiff. 

 The furniture factory needs oak, walnut, maple, birch, sweetgum, and many 

 other kinds of wood, depending upon the kind of furniture being made. 



Telephone and telegraph poles of southern pine, western red cedar, and 

 northern white cedar are most common. Southern pine poles are treated 

 their entire length to increase their durability. The cedars are only butt 

 treated since they are naturally very durable. 



Dogwood and persimmon are standard materials for shuttles used in weav- 

 ing cloth because these woods stay smooth under rubbing. Sweetgum, yel- 

 low poplar, walnut, oak, and other woods make good veneers. Oak has 

 always been the principal cross-tie wood. Chestnut, once used extensively 

 for cross ties, is on the verge of extinction because of the chestnut blight. 

 Many woods have many uses, but each has its best uses. 



Forests and -power for industry. — Aside from producing raw materials for 

 industry, the forest affects industry through its influence upon stream flow, 

 and thereby on industrial water power. Power developed from streams 

 has long been the motivating force of the great manufacturing industries 



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