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NOVEMBER 28,
THE
1925
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
46
SUPPLY BRANCHES OF THE INDUSTRY
Meeting the Attacks of Termites on
Pianos Shipped to Tropical Climates
Fred A. Barrow, of the Standard Pneumatic Action Co., New York, Investigates Various
Processes of Protecting Instruments From Pest When Shipped Where It Exists
A RECENT inquiry
•^^ row, editor of the
into the methods and
ravages of the white
climates has supplied
made by Fred A. Bar-
Standard Player Monthly,
means of combating the
ant or borer in tropical
him with a fund of valu-
hard wood, but they will tackle soft wood, as
that shown in the illustration. A piano key,
unattacked is shown for comparison.
In order to find out what has been determined
about the borers and the most satisfactory
obtained by writing to The Bureau of Ento-
mology, Department of Agriculture, Washing-
ton, I). C.
An interesting statement in Bulletin No. 1231
reads: "A large market for both crude and fin-
ished forest products could be found by Amer-
ican manufacturers in South America and other
tropical countries, provided a satisfactory
'white-ant-proof product could be furnished."
Two interesting mimeographs upon "Wood
Preservatives" and "The Methods of Applying
Wood Preservatives" may be obtained from the
Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wis., by
anyone interested in guarding woods against
the attack of tlie white ant.
Investigating Rubber
In line with its policy of investigating all ma-
terials that enter its product, the Standard
Pneumatic Action Co., New York, is sending A.
K. (iutsohn, factory superintendent, to Akron,
()., to
learn all that is possible about the
manufacture of rubber, which plays such an im-
portant part in a player-piano. Many thousand
square feet of rubberized cloth and tubing are
used by this company in the course of a year,
and every care is taken to see that this mate-
rial is the best that modern methods of manu-
facture can turn out. Mr. Gutsohn will spend a
week in the rubber manufacturing plants of
Akron.
Shailer Back From Trip
Keyshafts Attacked
able information, which should prove useful to
manufacturers exporting pianos to the tropics.
Mr. Barrow's interest in the subject became
aroused when two keyshafts were sent to him
from Honolulu by Ernest Giesecke, who wished
to show the former the extent of the damage
frequently done to wood in piano parts by this
boring pest.
The keyshafts, shown in the accompanying
illustration, are only thin wooden shells, the
solid wood of the shaft having been eaten away
by the termite. Mr. Giesecke describes the in-
sect as a small, white ant, about a quarter of an
inch long. These insects fly about at certain
seasons, and whenever they alight they drop
their wings and begin boring into the nearest
piece of wood. They are particularly fond of
The man who uses Behlen's Varnish
Crack Eradicator can afford to figure
lower, yet makes more profit on a re-
finishing job, than the man who does
not use it.
The reason—he saves the time, trouble
and expense of scraping off the old var-
nish and shellac and the finished job is
just as satisfactory, too—if not more so.
Send for a sample can today and
try it.
H. BEHLEN & BRO.
Anilines
Sh.lltci
Stain*
Filler.
10-12 Christopher St., New York
Hear ttB AT«.,
and 8th It.
by Tropical Ants
means of destroying them, Mr. Barrow wrote to
a number of entomological institutions, among
them being the American Museum of Natural
History. Andrew J. Mutchler, assistant curator
of the Museum, in his reply to Mr. Barrow
stated that protection against the boring insects
is never secured, unless it is possible to expose
the wood to ventilation and light. The United
States Bureau of Entomology was next appealed
to, and T. E. Snyder, entomologist, sent in some
valuable information. Among other things, Mr.
Snyder wrote, "We believe in case of piano
keys that they could be treated with zinc
chloride, sodium fluoride or chlorinated naphtha-
lene to prevent attack by these insects. Im-
pregnation with zinc chloride would probably
be the most effective. You can obtain full
information in regard to this treatment by
writing to the Forest Products Laboratory,
Madison, Wis."
Two bulletins were sent in by the United
States Department of Agriculture, one dealing
with "Damage by Termites in the Canal Zone
and Panama and How to Prevent It." The
other gave "Tests of Methods of Protecting
Woods Against Termites or White Ants."
These two bulletins, Nos. 1231 and 1232, may be
W. M. Shailer, vice-president and secretary of
Philip W. Oetting & Son, New York, importers
of piano felts, returned recently from a short
trip through Boston and other points in New
England. "Piano manufacturers in and around
Boston are working on heavy schedules," said
Mr. Shailer, "and many of them have informed
me that they are completing a record year. By
comparing their orders of this Fall with pre-
vious seasons, I am firmly convinced that thej
are speaking the truth."
Lutkins Go Abroad
T. L. Lutkins and Ted L. Lutkins, Jr., pro-
prietors of the piano leather house of T. L. Lut-
kins, Inc., New York, sailed for England on
the "Berengaria" on Wednesday, November 18.
They plan to spend a few days in conference
with their English agents and will return to
New York about December 15.
Consult the Universal Want Directory of
The Review. In it advertisements are inserted
free of charge for men who desire positions.
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