Spanish cedar- iOle!

By B. F. Kukachka Forest Products LaboratorY, U.S. Forest Service

E ROM THE earliest days of l- a*ororu,ron ano colonrzarlon ln tropical America, Spanish-cedar has been one of the most important timber trees of the area.

The wood became an article for the export trade during the 1800s when the cigar industry demanded the use of Spanish-cadar for packing cigars. These fragrant boxes were common-place before rising costs in the 1930s finally forced the cigar industry to turn to paperboard or less expensive containers manufactured from soft native lumber. Spanish' cedar remains to this day as one of the most valued trees for local use in Latin America. ,In the areas of growth the tree and wood are generally referted to as cedro.

Spanish-cedar occurs from Mexico to Argentina and is found in all of the Latin American countries with the exception of Chile. The trees are almost exclusively restricted to welldrained sites and may occur in decid' uous forest or lowland and montane rain forest.

Under favorable conditions of growth, trees may attain a height of 185 feet and a diameter of 4 to 5 feet. The trunk is usually free of limbs for at least a single log length (16 feet) if the tree grows in the open. Trees developing under forest conditions may have trunks free of branches to a height of 75 feet or more above the ground. As these trees rarely develop greatly extended buttresses, almost the entire bole length is available for lumber.

Freshly cut heartwood is pinkish to reddish brown, but upon exposure it becomes red or dark reddish brown, sonietimes with a purplish cast. It is reported to be darkest when grown on the drier sites, and this type of wood is preferred by the local craftsmen. The cell structure of Spanish' cedar ranges from virtually diffuse' porous as mahogany (Swietenia mac' rophylla) to decidedly ring-porous. The ring-porous wood produces a distinct growth-ring pattern on flat' sawn surfaces or rotary-cut veneer. The grain is commonly straight although sometimes interlocked. The wood has a medium-to-hish luster which seems to depend on the color of the wood, being lowest in the lighter colored timber. A cedary odor, similar to that of the coniferous "cedars' is usually present due to the volatile oils or resins present in the wood.

When grown with abundant moisture, the wood is lighter in color, less dense, and has a lesser oil con' tent. Native craftsmen state that they can distinguish the lumber of different species of Spanish-cedar. In view of the statements of experts that the wood samPles of the dif' ferent Cedrela species exhibit the same qualities under test and show the same structure, it is believed that the named kinds of Cedrela of the natives are merely variations in density and color of wood due to the influence of environmental factors during the growth of the trees.

The wood of SPanish-cedar is coarser textured than that of mahog' any.

Story at a Glance

An aromatic, mahoganY-like hardwood, Spanish-Cedar weathers well without Paint, is easily worked bY hand and power tools, and is popular in the veneer and plywood industry.

On the basis of tests, Spanishcedar with an average specific gravity of 0.40 (based on the volume when green and weight when ovendrY) would be similar to Central American mahogany in most properties except in hardness and compression perpen' dicular to grain where mahoganY is definitely superior. Most of the im' ported wood falls into the 0.34 to 0.38 average specific gravity class.

The specific gravity for the various species of Cedrela ranges from 0.32 to 0.46, based on the green volume and ovendry weight, with an overall average of 0.38 for the genus.

I Spanish+edar is considered easy to season by either air-drying or kiln' drying methods. In the tropics it is common practice to end-rack the

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The U.S. Forest Service, which finished its sampling of public opinion for RARE II Oct. l, now says that it will be Mar. before it can analyze the data gathered and get its recommenclations for wilderness v. multiple use on 62 million acres of public land to Congress for a final decision (see p. 6)

For the first time since '35, Western lumber is no longer being rail shipped into the East at a sirtgle rate following an Interstate Ciommerce Commission decision to abolish the "blanket rate" it means higher shiping costs for western producers, putting them at a competitive disadvantage in eastern markets (see p. 43) .

The Northwestern Pacific RR is still closed following a 82 million plus tunnel fire near Island Mountain, Ca., that cut all rail shipments between coastal Northern Ca. and San Francisco; some 1250' are blocked inside the 4280' tunnel due to a slide following the fire, the cause is unknown, it will take 3-4 mos. to re-open, all freight now goes bY truck or is trucked to the rail link at Willits, Ca., for transshipment . .

Both housing starts and btdg. permits declined in Aug., (5% and 47o respectively from the July rate) but starts still were at the very healthy level of 2,O29p00 on a seasonally adjusted annual basis . the permit rate was 1,571,000 so far in '78, 1,371,000 units have been started, 3% ahead of the same period last year . .

Some of the decline was attributed to higher mortgage costs,

$$ tightening efforts by the feds to control inflation, a higher prime rate, (now 9-314%), hteh home prices, and expected seasonal slackening savings inflow into s&ls is off some, but funds are generally available, albeitcostly...

The Brooks-Scanlon distributorship in Denver, has been sold for an undisclosed price to Shepard and Morse Lumber Co., Weston, Ma., . Gittings Lumber. Denver. won the western region in a wholesaler of the year contest held by the National Building Material Distributors Assn. .

Louisiana-Pacific has received $ 128.6 million of the $230 million the gov. says it owes and Arcata National has gotten $60.3 million of the $80 million the feds promised for land for the Redwood National Park . . both companies are pressing for a higher valuation of the land . .

L-P has agreed to sell the Rocklin, Ca., medium density fibreboard plant, part of its new acquisition, Fibreboard Corp., to settle Federal Trade Commis' sion charges of antitrust violation . . . L-P has 2 years to find a buyer, which must be approved bytheFTC...

Kaiser Cement has won an environmental suit and will Proceed with a $72 million modernizatian of its Santa Clara CountY, Ca., plant . . they also plan to update their Lucerne Valley, Ca., facility . . . California Portland Cement plans a $100 million expansion of their Mojave, Ca., plant Domtar GYpsum America, Oakland, Ca., has sold its SlVo in a Mexican gypsum miningsubsidiary...

The Al Peirce Co. of Newport Beach, Ca., has opened a sales office in San Diego, headed by Carl Poynor Samsonite ,llills. Arcata. Ca.. hrd two additions built by San AntonioPole Construction. which also built a new lumber storage bldg. for Minton's Mountain View, Ca., facility Flintkote SupplY plans a new metro San Francisco outletfor'79...

Halstead Lumber Products, Al' hambra, Ca., has been sold to Tom Bitterman by Ed Gilbert, 80, who figures "it's high time I started traveling" Ernst Home Centers plans to open new stores in Olympia, Auburn and Renton Highlands, Wa., this fall . . Kelleher Lumber Co., San Rafael, Ca., plans to open a new Fresno warehouse around the l st of the year, according to HarrY Lyon, gen. mgr. .

Palmer G. Lewis Co., Auburn, Wa., has completed its $2 million Tigard, Or., warehouse/office; they plan a new warehouse for Redding, Ca., in '79. Suilders Emporium l|est, a div. of Wickes, has moved its offices from Whittier to lrvine, Ca., . . Chandler Corp., Boise, Id., plans to buY Mobile Components, Inc., Halstead, Ks., no price revealed.

National Gypsum says the Justice Dept, has cleared price fixing charges against 2 of its former officers, but that the company, plus U.S. Gypsum, Celotex and Georgia-Pacilic will be retried . . .the western lumber industry operated at 91.2%of practical capacity according to latest figs...

Arson is suspected in the big blaze at Farmer's Lumber Yard, Ceres, Ca., no fig. yet put on the loss . . . llestern States Plywood Corp., Santa Fe Springs, Ca., has a new customer showroom E. A. Nord Co., Everett, Wa., is bldg- a pocket barge and dock facility Binswanger Mtrror Products has a new 156,000 sq. ft. manufacturing plant, Chandler.Az....

How come one of the last of the Nlohicans is cqlled by a Seneca Indiqn nqme?

. ..; our corporote name is {i Sen€calndian word meonlng ..l'many"fi-ct.e*.'ArifKinzwn:Oregon,happenstobetheslte a! wr ulginal lumber milt. In Ceniat Oregon rle'ta fuan pro&tclng quallty guaranteed Ponderoca plne ihtcbfor ooerhaf a centary. Wehave a modern operotion plus a new pine mlll and c&dmfil at Heppner, Oregon.

Does Your Supplier Have

A MOUNTAIN OF INVENTORY? A FULL FLEET OF TRUCKS?

5 ACRES OF WAREHOUSE?

Who pays for all of this?

YOU DO!!!

We sell forest products on a full load contract basis from the floor stock of over 20 different mills.

WE CAN SAVE YOU MONEY. WHY NOT MAKE US PROVE IT?

October

North American Wholesale Lumber Assn. - 1978 Regional meetings, Oct.12, Valley River Inn, Eugene, Or-;Oct.24, Jonathan Club, Los Angeles, Ca.; Oct. 25, Multnomah Athletic Club, Portland, Or.; Oct. 26, Doubletree Inn, Seattle, Wa.

National Sash & Door Jobbers Assn. - Oct. 15-18, 15th annual meeting, Hyatt Regency Hotel, Houston, Tx.

National Hardwood Lumber Assn. - Oct. 16'18' 81st annual convention, Marriott Hotel, New Orleans, La.

Lumber Assn. of So. California - Oct. 18, 2nd Growth dinner meeting.

Humboldt Hoo-Hoo Club - Oct. 19, election of officers, Oh's Townhouse, Eureka, Ca.

San Joaquin Hoo-Hoo Club - Oct. 20, Valley Frolic, Fort Washington Country Club, Fresno, Ca.

Dubs, Ltd. - Oct. 20, golf tournament, Carmel Valley Country Club, Carmel, Ca.

Pitchy Selects - Oct. 20, golf tournament, Northridge Country Club, Sacramento, Ca.

University of Denver - W.O.O.D., Inc. - "Designing with Wood" seminars, Oct. 20, Nov. 17, Jan. 19, and Feb15. contact: U. of D. College of BusinessAdministration, 2020 South Race St., Denver, Co. 80208.

Hardwood Plywood Mfgrs. Assn. -Oct. 25-27, annual fall meeting, Doubletree Inn, Monterey, Ca.

American Supply Assn. - Oct. 25-28, annual meeting. MGM Grand and Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nv.

Los Angeles Hoo-Hoo Club - Oct.28-29, annual family weekend, Del Coronado Hotel, San Diego.

Ace Hardware Corp. - Oct. 28-31, fall dealer convention. Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nv.

November

Building Industry Assn.Nov. I - 4, l2th annual convention, Del Monte Hyatt House, Monterey, Ca.

American Plywood Assn. - Nov. 3, "How to form a Political Action Committee", 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Benson Hotel, Portland, Or.

North American Wholesale Lumber Assn.1978 regional meetings, Nov. 8, Venetos Restaurant, San Francisco, Ca.; Nov. 13, (TBA), Redding, Ca.; Nov. 14, Rogue Valley Country Club, Medford, Or.

Assn. of Home Appliance ManufacturersNov. 9 - 10, Home Appliance Conference, Stouffer's Denver Inn, Denver, Co.

Northwest Hardwood Assn. - Nov. 9-12, annual fall meeting, Scottsdale, Az.

Western Building Material Assn. - Nov. ll-14, annual convention, Portland, Or.

American Home Lighting Institute - Nov. ll- 15, convention and seminar, Hyatt Regency/Embarcadero, San Francisco, Ca.

National Building Material Distritiutors Assn.Nov. 12' 15,27th annual fall convention, Century Plaza Hotel, Los Angeles.

Lumber Association of So. CaliforniaNov. 15-18, 28th annual management conference, Spa Hotel, Palm Springs, Ca.

Pacific Logging Conference - Nov. l5-18, Spokane, Wa.

National Building Material Distributors Assn. - Nov. l518, reconvened meeting, Ilikai Hotel, Honolulu, Hi.

Pitchy Selects - Nov. 17, golf tournament, Dry Creek Country Club, Galt, Ca.

National Lumber and Bldg. Material Dealers Assn. - Nov27 & 28, roofing seminar, Denver, Co.

CONTINENTAL FOREST PRODUCTS, INC.

P. O. Box 159

Lake Oswego, Or. 97034

(503) 635-3681

TOLL FREE:

(800) 547-8465

Beautifui Ciear

paneling, for a textured, smooth wall application, with squarc edge pattern.

WE MANUFACTLJRE the clear, resawn tongue and groove cedar paneling that comes in t x 4 arnd Vz x 4, in random length and end matched. Made with a smooth band resiwn face with the V-joints on the surfaced back.

AT OUR MODERN TACOMA, WASHINGTON MItt we make a clear cedar bcvel siding th x6 tnd Yz x 8 in Aye and Better grades, as well as our T*G paneling.

LDAMAGE-IREE DELMRY to you is assured by our uniquc cardboard canon packaging system. Unit lot packaging protects the product in shipment, reduces tallying errors, ensures proper disuibution of lengths and streamlines inventory conuol for your salesmen.