Suggestions as to Purchase of Pulp Wood
Messrs. C. P. Winslow and R. Thelan of Madison Wis. gave a very interesting paper on the consumption of Pulpwood and the best method of purchasing it. A summary follows:—
The annual consumption of pulpwood in the United States amounts to approximately 4,300,000 cords, representing an expenditure in the neighborhood of $36,000,000 per year by approximately 250 companies. From these figures it is apparent that the question of proper pulpwood specifications is of wide importance.
While the value of pulpwood is dependent basically upon the tons of dry pulp that can be produced from a given number of dry tons of wood, the great quantity of the wood is bought and sold either on the basis of an estimated and variable volume of wood in an assumed space, or on the theoretical quantity or volume of lumber which can be cut. Thus, with dry weight as the real and final measure, we find substituted for it a variable and indefinite volume, and the result in the long run is fair to neither seller nor purchaser.
While by far the greater proportion of pulpwood is purchased as cordwood or by log scale, it must not be overlooked that the use of sawmill waste is steadily increasing, and amounts to approximately 7.7 per cent. of the total. It is manifestly impossible to apply the log scale to the measurement of such material.
While it is entirely evident that a completely satisfactory basis of specification cannot be secured with a unit of measure based on volume, it is equally apparent that such unit of measure must continue to be used very largely for this purpose. It is desirable, therefore, where perfection cannot be had, to compromise on the issue, and some suggestions along this line are as follows:
1. An enumeration of the basic and fundamental principles which must underlie any correct system of specification should show clearly the relation of yield of pulp to the dry weight of specific gravity of the wood and the relation and probable variation of this dry weight in a given volume.
2. For the conditions where the cord will continue to be used as the unit of measure, the formulation of definite specifications to the end that this unit of measure may come to represent an approximately fixed volume of solid wood.
3. A study of the relation of actual cubic contents of logs of varying sizes to the board foot measure, as determined by the various log scales used in the purchase of pulpwood.
4. A study into all phases of the question of supplying pulpwood in the form of baled chips as the source of supply. Such a study should cover such points as the quantity of chips secured from a ton or a stacked cord of various forms of mill waste and from a standard cord, the cost and best methods of chipping, drying and baling, and finally of methods for determining the moisture content of the baled chip, which would presumably be sold on a weight basis.
5. Attention to methods for limiting, describing and illustrating such points as “knotty,” “rough,” “doty,” “fire scarred,” “heart-rot,” “sap-rot,” etc. All of these defects detract from the value of the material, but to just what extent is not at present generally established.
6. Other points, such as standard methods of determining the dry weight and moisture content of the wood, or of measurement of wood fiber dimensions, also require attention.