54 Miscellaneous Circular 39, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture 
The more common form of the con- such studies now under way at the 
struction is seen in the cleated ply- Forest Products Laboratory. The pro- 
wood cases. The frame of the box is portionate share of the cost of such 
made of fairly heavy lumber with 3- work which properly belongs to the 
ply veneer used as sheathing. This 3- unorganized groups in the industry or 
ply sheathing is usually about three- to the shipper or to the transportation 
sixteenths of an inch thick and substi- interests must be shouldered by the 
tutes for inch boards. That in itself Federal Government. 
is quite a reduction in lumber. In the Second. We have the problem of 
early development of this construction, making known to the unorganized 
the several plies were glued together branches of the box-making business 
after having been thoroughly dried. and to the shipper and the ecarrier 
The best practice to-day is to glue what has been accomplished and what 
these several plies together while may be achieved in the future of get- 
green from the log, because that saves ting the individual actually responsi- 
the 10 per cent shrinkage in the older ble for the boxing and crating of prod- 
method. That, too, conserves lumber. ucts in each establishment to under- 
All these newer and better practices stand what has already been accom- 
in the construction of wood boxes and plished, how and where this knowl- 
crates conserve lumber. The amount edge can be practically applied .in 
of lumber saved varies from 15 per gervice and that this work should re- 
cent to 60 per cent, depending on a ceive effective encouragement. Given 
number of factors too numerous to g proper understanding and apprecia- 
mention here. tion of what has already been accom- 
It can safely be said that these plished, there would result an en- 
newer and better designs of wood lightened public opinion which would 
boxes and crates for the larger cases do more than anything else to bring 
and the heavier loads, and the substi- gphout the solution of one problem in 
tution of fiber board containers for the yery near future. 
the smaller units and the lighter loads, Third. Publicity is needed. The small 
if generally applied, would conserve at hody of organized box manufacturers 
least 50 per cent of the lumber that is doing its part, but the task is too 
would otherwise be required for packing huge, We suffer to some degree from 
cases. The problem to-day is largely that lack of entire confidence in our 
one of bringing about a universal ap- claims to which any producer who is 
plication of the foregoing principles. marketing his wares falls heir. Au- 
If the public is to reap the benefits thentic information emanating from 
of the progress already made, the un- ay impartial source, capable of broad- 
organized box manufacturer, the ship- casting the message nation-wide, 
ping public, and the transportation ghould find it easy to bring about 
agencies must be reached. They must {he understanding and application of 
be made to realize that their own in- these principles. Witness how the 
terests as well as the public good will country was converted by the economic 
best be served if these underlying, yajye of the telephone and automobile, 
fundamental principles of box and the Domestic Packing Advisory 
crate construction are understood and pggrq newly set up by the Transporta- 
applied by them. tion Division of the United States De- 
How can this best be done? partment of Commerce, and in the de- 
First. The research work must con- paytment itself, we trust we have the 
tinue. No one, at all qualified to jegdership so necessary to carry the 
speak, would contend for a moment truth to all. We thoroughly approve 
that all progress possible has been 413 commend the work of the Depart- 
made nor that our present knowledge ment of Commerce and all of the 
of efficient designs and constructions agencies cooperating with it in that 
is complete nor that the fundamental enterprise. 
principles on which .they are based Thus through the activities which 
are all known or definitely fixed. Fur- pave gone on before and through the 
ther studies at the Forest Products results we hope to secure from further 
Laboratory and elsewhere are neces. jntensive study. of these problems and 
sary. The organized box industry is through the publicity which must in- 
supporting research work in its own eyitably follow, the packing-box indus- 
laboratories and, in addition, is help- try will do its full part to conserve 
ing, as it has in the past, to finance our timber resources.