THE SUITABILITY OF AMERICAN WOODS FOE PAPER PULP 39 
Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea) 
Other names in use. — Balsam, Canada balsam, Balm of Gilead fir, blister 
pine, fir pine, firtree, single spruce, silver pine, and she-balsam. The lumber 
is frequently called eastern fir in the market. 
Range. — From Newfoundland and Labrador to Hudson Bay and northwest- 
ward to the Great Slave Lake region, and south to Pennsylvania (and along 
high mountains to Virginia), Michigan, Minnesota, and northeastern Iowa. 
Oven-dry weight -per cubic foot, green volume. — 21 pounds. 
Fiber length. — 2.7 mm. 
By Sulphite Process 
Reduces readily under slightly milder conditions than are required for spruce. 
Unbleached pulp: Of good color and excellent strength, but slighter softer, as 
a rule, than spruce sulphite; fairly easily bleached. 
Yields: 45 to 50 per cent. 
Bleached required: 15 to 25 per cent. 
Uses to which pulp is suited: News, wrapping, book, and high-grade printing 
papers. 
By Sulphate Process 
Reduces readily. 
Unbleached pulp: very strong. 
Yields: 45 to 50 per cent of strong pulp, 40 to 45 per cent of pulp for bleaching. 
Bleach required: 20 to 30 per cent. 
Uses to which pulp is suited: High-grade kraft wraping papers and fiber board. 
By Mechanical Process 
Reduces readily. 
Pulp: Of excellent color and standard strength. On account of the suscepti- 
bility of this species to insect attack and decay, inferior pulps are often obtained 
which are not charactistic of the sound wood. 
Power required: 15 to 25 per cent more than for white spruce. 
Uses to which pulp is suited: Practically all uses requiring ground wood. 
Lowland White Fir (Abies grandis) 
Other names in use. — White fir, silver fir, yellow fir, Oregon white fir, western 
white fir, great silver fir, and balsam fir. 
Range. — Pacific coast region from Vancouver Island to western California and 
from Washington and Oregon to northern Idaho and Montana. 
Oven-dry weight per cubic foot, green volume. — 23 pounds. 
Fiber length. — 3.2 mm. 
By Sulphite Process 
Reduces readily. 
Unbleached pulp: Of excellent color and strength; fibers somewhat coarser 
than spruce fibers; fairly easily bleached. 
Yields: 45 to 55 per cent. 
Bleach required: 15 to 25 per cent. 
Uses to which pulp is suited: News, wrapping, book, and high-grade printing 
papers. 
By Sulphate Process 
Reduces readily. 
Unbleached pulp: Very strong. 
Yields: 45 to 50 per cent of strong pulp, 35 to 45 per cent of pulp for bleaching. 
Bleach required: 20 to 30 per cent. 
Uses to which pulp is suited: High-grade kraft wrapping papers and fiber 
board. 
By Mechanical Process 
Reduces readily. 
Pulp: Of excellent color. 
Power required: 15 to 25 per cent more than for white spruce. 
Uses to which pulp is suited: Practically all uses requiring ground wood. 
