UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
Contribution from the Forest Service 
WILLIAM B. GREELEY, Forester 
Washington, D. C. 
January 17, 1921 
UTILIZATION OF BLACK WALNUT. 
By Warren D. Brush, Scientific Assistant, 
CONTENTS. 
Page. 
Utilization by industries — Continued. 
Page, 
Introduction 
1 
Musical instruments 
60 
Properties of the wood 
2 
rianing-mill products 
67 
Insect and fungus attack 
6 
Sewing machines 
68 
Supply 
7 
Firearms 
68 
Demand 
21 
Export 
74 
Utilization by industries 
22 
War-time utilization 
76 
Lumber 
22 
Summary of general market condi- 
Veneer 
44 
tions 
79 
Ties 
58 
Marketing walnut timber 
80 
Posts 
59 
Summary and conclusions- 
85 
Furniture 
61 
Appendix : Detailed list of uses 
88 
INTRODUCTION. 
The use of American black- walnut timber for various products 
began in early colonial times. Probably its first extensive use was 
for fence rails, for which it was chosen because it was easy to split 
and resisted decay. Much of it was cut for fuel. Large quantities, 
of black walnut, which prefers rich agricultural land, were wasted 
in clearing for cultivation. In the eighteenth century it was a favor- 
ite wood for furniture, and was one of the two native woods (wild 
cherry being the other) best adapted for fine cabinetwork It was 
also highly valued for gunstocks. The excellent stands in the fertile 
valleys of eastern Pennsylvania, which furnished wood of a rich 
dark color that was well liked, were the main source of supplies. 
During the first half of the nineteenth century there was a gradual 
increase in the use of walnut, which was manufactured mainly into 
furniture in eastern factories. In this period the region of the Ohio 
River basin became the chief source of supply. 
From 1860 to 1880 the demand for walnut grew tremendously, 
because of its use for rifle stocks during the Civil War, and also be- 
cause of its popularity for making furniture. The maximum wal- 
nut production was reached about 1875, when it is estimated that the 
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