UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
gy, BULLETIN No. 523 
Contribution from the Forest Service 
HENRY S. GRAVES, Forester 
Washington, D. C. PROFESSIONAL PAPER sune 29, 1917 
UTILIZATION OF ASH. 
By W. D. Sterrett, Forest Hxraminer. 
CONTENTS. 
Page Page 
HTAUGKOMU GION Sa eee esas ce ees eecincese es ia Uithzationibyandustriess 1 re-set 27 
Commiercialispeciesenas- = o-c-- Sack sees ek ee 2 | Lumber and stumpage values............... 39 
Demandyan disp pliyece sce coe aisle c ols 7 | Summary of important -points.-............. 47 
Characteristics of ash wood...-.---.-....---- 1S 52 [EAS TOO O10 Giiexeetrsen se eee ple eras ee 49 
INTRODUCTION. 
Ash is one of the leading commercial hardwoods of the United 
_ States. Its importance is due to the intrinsic qualities of its wood; 
for the quantity cut annually and the available supply of standing 
timber are small in comparison with the output and supply of a num- 
ber of other American hardwocds. United States census figures for 
the last 15 years indicate that, in the production of lumber, ash ranks 
eleventh among hardwoods, the annual cut amounting to from 23 to 3 
per cent of the hardwood lumber output and to less than 1 per cent 
of the total cut of all species. The peculiar merits of the wood, how- 
ever, make it very valuable for a number of articles, such as handles, 
butter tubs, vehicles, and refrigerators. Thus it offers a wide range 
of possibilities for profitable utilization, and for that reason is an 
extremely desirable tree to encourage in woodlots. 
The value of ash for different uses and the amount of the different 
species cf ash used in various industries are given in this bulletin, 
and methods are indicated by which owners may utilize their ash 
timber profitably. This bulletin also contains an account of the 
properties of ash wood. The paragraphs on its mechanical properties 
are taken from a report by J. A. Newlin, engineer in the Forest 
Products Laboratory at Madison, Wis. Mr. Newlin’s report is based 
on timber tests conducted by the laboratory on specimens mostly col- 
lected by the author. That part of the bulletin which deals with 
utilization by industries is based, for the most part, on studies of 
secondary wood-using industries in the different States carried on by 
74365°— Bull, 523-171 
