12 BULLETIN 149 7, IT. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
UTILIZATION OF THE WOOD PRODUCT 
One of the prime considerations influencing selection of species is 
the use for which the wood crop is desired. In the Lake States the 
largest present demands for timber are for pulpwood and for plan- 
ing-mill products. Northern white and Norway pine have been and 
promise to continue to be thoroughly acceptable species for a multi- 
tude of uses in the form of lumber and planing-mill products. 
The two pines are used interchangeably for many purposes, in- 
cluding sashes, dimension stock, house construction, and doors, 
boxes, car construction, woodenware, and agricultural implements. 
A study of the wood-using industries in Minnesota in 1913 in- 
dicated 20 uses for Norway pine and 92 for northern white pine 
within the State. Norway pine, by reason of its greater strength and 
hardness, is slightly more suitable for construction purposes and for 
piling and ties. On the other hand, the soft and workable wood of 
white pine is particularly adapted to many specialized uses. Until 
recently these two species constituted one-third of the total consump- 
tion of wood products in the Lake States, and, although the demand 
for them is being absorbed by the western pines which are shipped 
east at high freight costs, it is safe to predict that northern white 
and Norway pine grown locally in the Lake States will always have 
a ready market. 
Spruce is the most desirable species for the manufacture of paper 
pulp. About 540,000 cords of native spruce were used in 1925 in 
the Lake States for this purpose. An additional 750,000 cords of 
eastern hemlock and balsam fir are consumed annually, for which 
spruce would be substituted if it were available. Spruce is also 
a desirable wood for lumber, sashes and doors, boxes, woodenware, 
pails, fencing, and fuel. Small spruce trees bring good prices in 
December for Christmas trees (16) . Twenty-eight uses of spruce were 
enumerated in Minnesota in 1913. The different kinds of spruce 
are quite similar in the properties of their wood. For any purpose 
white spruce is as good as any of the others. 
Jack pine has come into use quite recently. Over 100,000 cords 
a year are now consumed in the Lake States for pulp, although 
only by those paper mills equipped to produce it by the sulphate 
process for craft paper. It is also being utilized for lumber, boxes, 
lath, car construction, woodenware, ties, and fuel ; but although it is 
in good demand for these purposes, it is inferior to northern white 
and Norway pine for lumber products and to spruce for pulpwood. 
Judged by usefulness and demand other species also deserve con- 
sideration for planting in the Lake States. These include white 
and green ash, which are in strong demand for handles, cooperage, 
vehicles, lumber, furniture, veneer, and many other uses. Red oak 
is always in demand for a multitude of products including ties, 
lumber, furniture, A^eneer, vehicles, and agricultural implements, as 
well as posts and fuel. The tamarack and European larch, which 
have similar wood properties, are or could be used for ties, pulp, 
lumber, car construction, paving, poles, cooperage, and posts. North- 
ern white cedar has properties which make it specially suitable for 
ties, shingles, piling, poles, and posts, as well as lumber. Eastern 
cottonwood is chiefly used for pulp, fuel, lumber, veneer, boxes, 
woodenware, and vehicles. 
