Timber for Commercial Motor Bodies.
Page 60
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The Editor, THE COISIMERCIAL MOTOR.
[2,649] Sir,—With regard to the correspondence in the issue of The Commercial Motor for November 29th on "Timbers for Commercial Motor Bodies," there is one point regarding English-grown timber which so far seems to have escaped discussion. The same point also seems to have been overlooked by the writer of the article on "The Use of Ash for Commercial Bodies," on page 567 of the same issue, although I recognize that it was not an essential part of the argument in either of the articles.
The point in question is that whilst any quantity of English timber is being cut, practically none is being planted to replace it. In this district, South Oxfordshire, ash grows freely, but it is becoming difficult now to lind trees of a size which it would be a commercial proposition to cut.
The present depressed condition of agriculture is causing farmers all over the country to sell whatever timber is worth cutting, and, even if this timber were replaced by replanting, it is unnecessary to point out the length of time that must elapse before it would attain commercial size.
Whilst it is quite true that large areas are being teafforested, this is being done with trees which are not suitable generally for bodywork. The statistics given with regard to the woods cut and replanted are 3342 also misleading, as no account is taken of the enormous quantity of timber which is being cut along all the roads in the country at the present time. Here, again, no attempt is being made to replace the timber.
However, whilst every attempt should be made to use British timber for British vehicle bodies, whenever possible, it will readily be seen that this timber is becoming so scarce that its cost must rise to a prohibitive level unless some action be taken to replace the wood which is being cut.
Unfortunately, whatever be done now will have no effect in increasing the supply in the lifetime of the readers of your journal, but a start must be made at some time, and although, in the words of your contributor "Timber Salesman," "the home-grown wood trade has lately shown a marked improvement," this is only on the consumption side. There has, unfortunately, been no improvement in replacing the timber which has been cut.
It would appear necessary that some steps should be taken to press the Forestry Commission to get busy with the planting of suitable trees for bodywork, always presuming, of course, that in 70 or 80 years' time, when this timber would be available if planted now, some more suitable material than wood has not replaced it.—Yours faithfully
Mapledurh am. DAVID J. SMITH, 114.I.A.E.