WOOD-USING INDUSTRIES OF MAINE. IO3 



they are often found in abundance on thin, fairly dry soil as 

 well as in poorly drained situations; but in such places, how- 

 ever, where there are usually more trees to the acre, they never 

 grow so rapidly, so large or to so perfect a form as in the 

 better situations. The wood of both aspens is light, soft, weak, 

 compact, and very perishable in contact with the soil. Aspen 

 lumber is easily worked and seasons rapidly, but warps and 

 checks badly. This wood is. therefore, poorly adapted for such 

 important uses as lumber, ties and poles, but it has been found 

 to be especially adapted for the manufacture of paper pulp, ex- 

 celsior, and box boards. In the year 1910, nearly nine per 

 cent of all the wood used by the pulp mills of the country was 

 aspen. Aspen lumber has been found excellent for the parts of 

 barns subject to kicking and gnawing by domestic animals. It 

 is tough, wears well, and does not splinter. It is already being 

 used to a small extent in the manufacture of spools and tooth- 

 picks. It was found impossible to secure separate reports upon 

 the two aspens. The entire amount is credited to quaking 

 aspen which, undoubtedly, furnished seventy-five to ninety per 

 cent of the supply. The amount indicated in the table opposite 

 "Miscellaneous" was mostly made into excelsior. A large 

 amount went into boxes, and some was used for toothpicks. 



Beech. 



Beech is one of the woods which has been put to an extensive 

 use only lately. The decreasing supply of such woods as sugar 

 maple anrl yellow birch first drew attention to beech, which 

 grows, usually, on fresh, rich soils. It is well adapted to 

 limestone soils on rocky, exposed situations. It is a rapid 

 grower, and endures shade exceedingly well, which makes it, 

 like the sugar maple, an excellent tree to use as a filler in open 

 forest or plantation. The wood of beech is heavy, hard, stifT, 

 and strong. It is not durable in the ground, and checks consid- 

 erably in drying, but wears well and takes a good polish. It is 

 used in this country for furniture, turned articles, and handles. 

 In ]\raine it was used most extensively for clothespins, bobbins, 

 dowels, lasts, handles, and tovs. 



