Where the Wood for Pencils Comes From.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIX, Issue 20, 14 May 1913, Page 8

Where the Wood for Pencils Comes From.

Missouri—particularly the Ozarkhills—furnishes the greater part of the wood used in making lead pencils. Though many other varieties have been tried, none has proved as satisfactory as the red cedar. The cedars grow on rocky hillsides all through the White River district of Missouri. They are small, stunted trees, seldom reaching a diameter of more than a foot at the butt. The logs are either hauled to the railroad and sent to the mill or floated m rafts down the river. At_the mill the logs are first cut lengthwise by circular saws into planks. These are cut into right lengths for lead pencils and those chunks go into the hands of men who, with circular saws, rip them up into what are called “ siat«.” Only the red heart of the log is used. The white sapvood is thrown away. •“