The principal author published the first edition of a book entitled in German "Technologie des Holzes" (Springer-Verlag) in the year 1936. This book was available only in photostat copy form in the United States during World War n. A translation into the English language was later made in Australia. Due to many hampering factors caused by World War n it was not unti11951 that the second edition of the first volume of thir:; book with the enlarged title (translated) "Technology of 'Vood and W ood Based Materials" was published. The se co nd volume followed in 1955. The enormOllS expansion of wood seience and technology within less than two deeade,: is evident from a comparison of the number of pages of these two editions. The first edition eomprises 764 pages, the two volumes of the second edition 2231 pages. More recently, it becamc evident that an English version in a condensed up- to-date form was needed. Therefore, the principal author decided to publish a book on "Principles of W ood Science and Technology" in English. The first volume dealt with solid wood, this second volume deals with wood based materials. U sing the ward "Principles" in the title of the condensed book this led directly to abandoning ft11 detailed historie al reviews, explanations, ftnd discussions of mftchines and processes.

Modern forest products research had its start hardly fifty years ago. Today we are in a position to apply the title "wood science" to the field of wood technology that is based on scientific investigation, theoretical as well as experimental. It is this research that fosters new uses for wood as a raw material and that creates the foundation for new industries for the manufacture of wood-base materials such as plywood, laminated products, particle and fiber board and sand wich construction. Wood technology in its broadest sense combines the disciplines of wood anatomy, biology, chemistry, physics and mechanical technology. It is through this interdisciplinary approach that progress has been made in wood seasoning, wood preservation methods, wood machining, surfacing and gluing, and in the many other processes applied in its utilization. In 1936 the senior author published a book entitled, "Technologie des Holzes," which was a first approach to a universal reference book on wood technology. The first edition of Volume I of the Textbook of Wood Technology, co-authored by H. P. BROWN, A. J. P AN SHIN, and C. C. FORSAITH, was published in 1948. An indication of the rapid development of this field can be gained from the fact that the second edition of "Technologie des Holzes und der Holzwerkstoffe," completely revised, was needed by 1951. It contains 2233 pages compared with the 764 pages of the 1936 edition."