When I lived in SC, there were three general uses for the soft pines (some were genetically-selected "super-trees" that grew very rapidly): pulp, as Gary mentioned, charcoal briquettes, and lumber, each with the bark being ground down for incorporation with potting soil. Often the last two were combined, and in that case, they had calculated that 98% of the tree was utilized, with the waste being the evaporated moisture.
What was nice is that if you knew a wood-lot employee, you could gain free access to the lots, where the companies typically stacked the trunks of those nasty hardwoods that would mess up the pulper. So, with a chain saw, truck or trailer, and some elbow grease, you could get free firewood. One, a Westvaco chemical engineer/orchid grower (anyone remember Jemmco in St. George?) used to get the company to chip the cypress trees as a very-slow-to-decompose (years) orchid potting medium. Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com Plants, Supplies. Books, Artwork, and lots of Free Info! _______________________________________________ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [email protected] http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
