y^ FOREST commissioner's REPORT. 



this country — or probably in the world, for that matter — at Con- 

 way, N. H., and Brovvnville, I^Ie. The round bolts are first cut 

 into short pieces, usually 25^ inches long, and the bark peeled 

 from them. The peeled bolts are then put into a machine which 

 revolves them against a series of sharp knives, wihch cut ofif 

 veneers of the width and thickness of the pegs. These veneers 

 are in the form of long, narrow ribbons, and are cut under con- 

 siderable pressure so that much of the sap is forced out of them. 

 They are next run through a machine which puts one sharp edge 

 on the ribbons, and finally through a third machine which heats, 

 compresses, and toughens them. They are shipped in the ribbon 

 form and are cut into pegs with an automatic machine when 

 used by the cobbler. A marked difference between this process 

 and that used in making spools is that in this case the wood is 

 seasoned when the article is turned out rather than before. In 

 the manufacture of peg ribbons, even more than in the manu- 

 facture of spools, it is imperative that only the very best wood 

 be used. Red heart has to be entirely discarded, knots unfit the 

 wood for use, and the bolts must be of fairly good size. Con- 

 sequently peg wood frequently costs $15 per cord at the mill, 

 while spool wood usually costs only $5 or $6. 



Shoe shanks, which are used in the insteps of some shoes be- 

 tween the heel and the broad part of the .sole, are usually manu- 

 factured in connection with shoe pegs. They also require fairly 

 clear, white wood, but not necessarily of so high a quality as for 

 shoe pegs. They are first cut from the peeled bolts as veneers, 

 which are later cut by an automatic machine into finished shanks 

 of various sizes. These are neither polished nor seasoned and 

 are shipped loose in large sacks. 



OTHER INDUSTRIES. 



The greater part of the toothpicks used in this country are 

 manufactured in the Northeast, and, with the exception of a 

 few hundred cords of poplar and maple used for this purpose, 

 are there made entirely from paper birch. Approximately 3,000 

 cords of birch are consumed annually in their manufacture. 

 The stock from which they are made must be free from knots 

 and red heart, straight, and preferably over 9 inches in diameter. 

 In other words, only the very highest grade material can be used. 

 This material is usually selected from stock which is being cut 



