Progress Results from Forest Service Study of Air Seasoning of Lumber in California

Bt C. L. Hill, U. S. Forest Serzicc, Califotrl;b DirtdeL

Amcrican industry haa definitely cntcred upon an cra in which profit is letgcly a oucstion of thc adoption of thc rrf,nQlt &onomy and cfficiency in production In rrite of the prescnt drift torzard kitn dryinc in t.he aeasoning of lumber, by far the l,aiser oart of the lunber cut and dried is stiil aii scasoncd, and air scaroning wf,l continuc at lcast for many yar! to bc an irnportant itcm in thc opcrating costs of lumber manufacturing and sclling, atd of thc wood working industries. Air drying is an c:pcndve pioccse, crpcnrivd in tinP and, tiereforc, in thc invettmcnt in stock tied uo and in land rcquircd for thc acaaoning yird, and cxpcnaivc dcgrade loesce Ag practiced at ttre avcrage plant' it i8 rlnlcccasarily expcnsivc in thesc itcos, and it is l.fc to siy tfiat the improvcmcnt of air drying constitutes onc of thc moet promising pordbilitics for rincrcasing profit which i8 at prce cnt opcn to thc industry.

Mu-cfr thinking has dready been devoted to the imgovemcnt of air drying, and- not a few bullitins and booke have bccn writtcn uoon the subiect. Lurnber plarrts havc stludied the results of their air scagoning and have developcd from their expcriencc--the practice which in most cascs thcy bolicvc io bc the bcet for thcir conditions. But individual Dracdce scldom has thc advantaFe of-the correlation sith various conditiori which can only provirlc a aound basis for thc modiGcation of practice to mect changcd conditiong or nct locatiotts. Under a d-ccptivc appcarancc of ringlicity' the factorg involvcd in air scasoning arc 8o numeroua and so complex irr their intcractions that mills in dre same locaEty and under vcry similar conditions rrct inlrcqucnt- lv come lo oppoaitc conclusions in rcspoct to thc same items of pracbce. .The problcrn demands not only a dcgrcc of,sydtcmatic study which a busincss institution cannot often sive. but a dcfinite statcmcnt in quantitativd teims of the cffect of ttrc nore imDortant factors influerrcing the results. .And itis has not thua far bcen obtained frorn ttrc study givcn to thc problern either by the industrv or bv scicntitrc studcnts.

Rcdizini this -nccd, the Forcst Service has starteii a comprehcnsivc study of thc wholc problem. Thc study is nation-sidc in its scopc. and its corrclation througbout the diliercnt tirnber regions is tmdcr tbc cuoervision of the Forcst Products liaboratoiv. In the forcst regons of the West, the woik is beinr condrrcted by the oficcs of F'orcst Prodtrcts of thc Several Forest Scrvice districts. In California, this worL has becn in progrcgs for ncarly two ycars in the redwood rcdon and for a little ovcr a ycar in the u'nc-rccion" The numbcr of factors rcouiriric attention is so grcat that thc work *iit uc iontinucd in California for at leact two scasons more. It will be obvious, ttereforc, that the rcsults up to the 9los9^of thp vcai 1923. which arc piescntcd in this arti- -cle. are nece*arily tcatative and gubiect to modification by lurther study. Howcvcr, thc outlincs oi certa:a factors in thc casc have drcady bccomc fairly clcar. 4 qfosrcss rcport -has bccn prcparcd for tlre lumber marrufacturcrs who arc oo-opcrating m the experiment bv Forcst Aarirant C. p. Grccn.-who is in -direct charge of thc work With - thc undcrstanding of thc tentadvc charactcr of thc conclurioor thur fat rcrcbc4 it is bclievcd that thcy arc ruftdcotly dSrificant to bc of vdue to dl tbc itdurtricl rhicb cqrry on tlc air uroning of Celifornia wooda

Cdifornic Lrunbcr Dryins Conditioor

Onc o{ thc nod drifins pcculirritice oa tbc CaEfornb industriet in rcapcct b br bcr dryirg il thc vcry lrrgc moirtnrc content caricd by grcca rood of ttc tiobcr socics whicb arc lunbcrcd berc. C@. rird wiO 15-7OVo grccn noirtnre conttot in Douslas 6r aad eouthcra loag lcef 1inc, and 50-f(Xl% i! Idaho thitc pinc' ciltcrn white pine, and loblolly or Nortb C$oliDr pine, the rnoirture content o{ grccn tcttcrn -sofc pinC (the rcrtcrn ydlc Pinc of thc botanlstl and thc forcatcn and tte Celfornia shitc and rcstcfn rhite piac ol thc lumbcr manufecturcn arroci*iong), o,ftco amounta to from lm b 150% and thc buL logr of srUnr pirc Day rur er-ligL tt 2rSQV-o the green @iahrrc contdrt il ra vanlDtc in C;H6nira Rcdvoo4 a! itt DhFicaf ud mccharical ropcrtie, but grcco butt'cut redwood frequcntly sintt i! trtcr. Tbc.c facts in rcrpccr to Celifcnie loodr nelc in many vayr for a noct ecutc dr tGaBing problcm anong Califorair lumbcr nenufacturcrs.

*ThLb b tlc conprub len tttcl !. b.a!t rcoted bv ttr hnbcr elodrtlor .!d rtcot' ntzci bv tf,r Fcrrt llorvlcr lc ttr lunlc ol thr ouch riurod rrda Lm tctulatty u Plrrr Pon&rcr

Thc accond pcculiarig of thc Crltortf. rcgion is tbe radic.al dificrcocc in rcaroing co-aditi,ong c:irting in tbc tto nain divlsions of tbc lurnbcr rnaufacturing lndurtry, namcln the Califoraia ginc regi@ i! th9 Sicrrar and thc croalt rangr, aDd thc rcdlood rerio of thc coart slopc. In thc rcdrood Uc&, drc rainy scaron ir long, tbc tuDiditr high, "d lunbcr scasoning slot. Al e coe sequcnce, doubtlcrq drecLing, rerping, and drnilar defects as a rcrult of air ranoaing are ncglkiblg or crn bc nadc lo, at ttctl is no bluc aap ataia problcn arch er bcdevils the plnc indruW, end thc collepcc which aomairncc afilicts rcdrood Hlr ftyinc doca aot troublc its air rearooias, Prlc- ti&ltv the rholc problcm of air sceronins is that of dryiry tbc. Inch boardr cwo of light uppci rock are curtonariV dricd in thl pilC -for at lcast . yc.r vbco it b dcsircd -to briag thcm to a thorousb dr scasoned condidon IDch tirtcr rtocl rcesonr coomonly for froln cfubbca Eootnl to two ycan, and for heavy thirfucercr tte scaloning tirnc not infrcquently runr thrcc yc.rc. Tbe rault of thir ir, of ourrc, e iarge anount of lunbcr dripPcd bcforc it is -dry and nuch of it pncticaly Srcco, with rcsultiag hcavy tranrportetioo cc shcn shipment ir by rail an4 bcyond qucation, conridcrablc incrcarc in unratirfecrtrv ocrfornence of the wood rtcn it ia ulcn hecently large quantiticr of rcdtood arc com.:ns to b1 dricd at ttc Lor Angrlcr harboi tcrrinaf at San Pcdro, whcrc dryinc is much morc rapid than it is in the reEwood producing bilt. No crpcrimcntd oilcs havc yct bccll crcctcd et San Pcdro in ihe Forcrt- Scrvicc air scaroins rort, but attcntioo till bc givto to th.t dtortioo i! thc futurc wcl. In thc p.nc rGgrosl b coatrast to thc redrood rcglon, tbc runocrl arc longer and dri,.r r'rA thc ri|rtcas arc colder end .offit Lmbcr litr drt iD rir srains n'ilcr o r lctr Enrtrc coq 6ra Gd rlarttl b the rcdmod rcti6' rDd it ritr do thL b tb re iD lrrc liG w eevr to er littlc l drtr dryr Otr tt3 ;rt idc of 6c $crru, i! trcq ttc dryn:r of tte rtDo.Dhcrc ir crccdrc. .Bc cs r!|cDt d.o.-i3 6c srcc oa bh. dj!' lnd cvco thc noet nid rir dttiDt Do!+ blc L hrrdlt ruficicC-O fcocat bhc deb rtca it jttrcb rctrrcty. OB ttc d.s bu4 tbe dtcnttt to Fi! rDGGd bt oD!!ts3 rm dlcr rnd ttur rcdocing ltd!' b dr F ri6n, oltco lcdr oolt b t rio. lc IlG c$:Clin& cwing, eld nreinr: Hrdttr thur oqtlincd ttc .itutio' ttlt brvc rc-lcerocd 6ur tr tht rill b.b lD rclid?

Sticlct Thtcbar

Trhe Gttt ttc nrt'tcr o[ &tilS fua Srrelrp to rqz, ia ttc rcdmod tcaio' tta! 6c clinrtc 6dt to dot drfiq; d d 6c db orc l-incl aicbr ln tb& rhilc on ttc cut d.lc oa ltc tlictrert e clinrtc rhich lrcqtrot|;l dtic. ttc E bcr too frrt, DncticJlly crvcry nitr s 2'incb rtic.Lcn Thcrc uc, u r trfiaa d f.ct, oth.r Irctorr brclvld i! ttir c[fgo. Hoicwr, if oa trntr b tpt htt t dry- inr. lt i. obriou 6.t thc Et r.EtT ltouiiitc ir iscercd circnldioo b 6c lnB rld onc of thc ;rvr i! ttich rtir cu be obtril.d ' tr --l tbrclcr Ccf:rr -fta -tr not rrr 6ichcr-*icbt il ttc rrfuood r,c6onf OoG of tnc hrreC rcdtood o. oriicr tu drcefu q@ o thir cctdtn ia6;1 n*-:zind rticl:rr Atttc CHir v.rd of tfi efirn Idcr Cqry' Qf Fce* Scrvicc Dttt ttP Cct ritt l-in.h' !16: iach" end ainch rticbar' rcrecctivcv. Qp totri rcruttr o ttb vrriiblc .rl ot rtdl' eblc. oing to citcoottag oltas tr''- qa drviic ret;d tbc tnnbcr. Bm ruElc tbt tbice-mOr @dd bc diDDGd AG tb rvtragG drying time rt 6c rqlnood & On dc bdb A 6c &ru Flrcot dtttsJ ti@. 6L rold rcoccrcc 2!l% isar b tte itorstd tnrnorir of cenial dcd t h hrmtr rmdccgoilg .Guoint ud r-clt> modinr rcdrr ri@ 1! thc intccrt E1l & tbir-ceriter Wdtd th. itdl E bc b tcrcetcd b och ea occorcl Thil b d cdrs ofi lihc e nidng *oc} foeocq-b [voortctcet Dtdtt Ar e re d lG r6rirc of 6c -Fotttt Sctric n 6p36 fl; rcuoocd to & drlr cqdUlnbgncd4ry rir nmtb* rUcfi rcfc*u arrdY e 50f, nvian ovtr thc rat &ccr evcrl!! dnc i! 6c indtltrt: But 6rt btolF. dro uothcr rrt o[ Oi rtcY. I! 6c furl re rlultt of -thc rtudy, it i boDcd b dr dq 6ritc queotitivt 6gBG3 c 6c cfcct d diclcr-tbcltrc.. oa &Ying: I! tbc cscrincol piht et ttG d[ d ttc Fnrit tirorrrr' $qly Coqry' * Sorenvitrc. o thc c.tt .ilc of 6G llatl' it rrr .hilD tht zilch *icbr och el brd bc.n co*ornrrrfv r-4 clrrGaf *h q hnbcr to dry ro llrt er b nrb 6G dr drvins rcrooniOtc fc rbout h.f of ttc ab rnaJra*c d S% tfich brd bcca ca. icricrccd rith thi. .DGdB i! 6G bq hc. iory. Rcduction i! IhG thichcr d ft *iikcrr. accooprnicd by mqc cutfrl l+ iry Frticuhra ter thom to bc crfblc d

Forty-Year-Old Douglas Fir Makes Profitable Cutting

Among many interesting things encountered in a recent fielfl trip through Oregon and Washington in search of pure stands of Douglas fir of even age, Junior Forester R. E. McArdle of the Pacific Northwest Forest Experiment Station tells of coming across a portable saw-mill in the midst of a 43-year old stand of Douglas fir. In this timber that had attained approximately but one-third of its full growth the mill operators were making a profitable cutting of ties and side lumber.

The field trip through this region is the first advance of the new Pacific Northwest Station toward getting complete information of the timber yield that can be expected from Douglas fir in pure, even-aged stands at different ages. This will follow ?rp and amplify the work of the old Wind River Forest Experiment Station at Stabler, Ore., and will consist of establishing sample study plots in trees of all classes from 40 to 140 years, on every variety of soil 3nd. in every climatic region of western Oregon and Washrngton.

Fred Roth Looks Over Conditions In The Northwest

Fred Roth, of J. H. McCallum, San Francisco, has returned from a three-weeks' motor trip to the Northwest. On his way north, he went over the Redwood Highway via E,ureka, where he visited several of the large, redwood mills in Humbolt County. His itinerary carried him along the coast Route to Marshfield, Oregon, where he spent a ferv days in the Coos Bay District. He then drove to Portland, Grays Harbor, and Seattle, where he called on the mills in these districts and also looked over the Long- Bell Lumber Co. operations at Longview, Washington. He was accompanied by Mrs Roth on the trip.

TYNAN LUMBER CO. OPEN GENERAL OFFICES IN SAN FRANCISCO

The Tynan Lumber Co., with retail yards at Oakland, Salinas, King City, Gonzales, and Monterey, have opened general offices in the Santa Mariha Building, San Francisco. This concern formerly had their headquarters at Salinas. L. M. (Mike) Tynan, son of Mr. C. Tynan, the President of the company, and who is well known to the lumber trade throughout the state, will act as manager of their San Francisco office. Mr. C. Tvnan will cohtinue to make his headquarters at Salinas. -

FORSTER LUMBER & IUILL CO. OPEN NEW OAKLAND YARD

James F. Forster has opened a new yard located on East Fourteenth Street, Oakland. which will be known as the Forster Lumber & Mill Co. Mr:.Forster has been associated with the retail lumber business for manv vears and was formerly connected with the Westefn Lumber Co. and Sacramento Lumber Co. of Sacramento.

WALTER F'IFER LEAVES WASHINGTON LUMBER & MILLWORK COMPANY

Mr. Walter R. Fifer, who has ben cbnnectecl with the silqs.:department of the Washington Lumber & Millwork Compin],: Los Angeles, has resigned fiom that position. He has not yet announced his plans for the future:

Bates Smith On Northern Trip

Mr. A. W. (Bates) Smith, head bf the A. W., Smith f.umber Company,i Los Angeles, "\Yholesalers of Pacific Coast Woods," left Los Angeles on the night of the 4th., to make a three weeks' trip through the mills of the Northwest.