PERIODICAL LITERATURE 



FOREST GEOGRAPHY AND DESCRIPTION 



The sawmill industry of Sweden is very 



Swedish fully described by Dr. Janka of the Austrian 



Wood forest school as a result of personal inspec- 



Industries tion in the continuation of his record of an 



excursion, in part briefed in F. Q., vol. 



XII, p. 617. Sweden exports annually about 1,500 million feet 



B.M., valued at $62,500,000, and 200 million cubic feet of other 



wood. Most of it goes to England. There are 1,400 sawmills 



employing 67,000 workmen, producing a first-class product, of fine 



grain, showing from one-half to one-third the annual ring width, 



and 20 per cent higher specific gravity than samples from middle 



Europe. This latter figure is for spruce, while for pine the weight 



is 5 per cent less, owing to a smaller summer wood per cent. 



The logs are made 16 feet and an average of 8-inch diameter at 

 the small end, care being taken that the gangsaws are supplied with 

 the sizes which are most advantageous for each as it is set, which 

 obviates iinnecessary adjustment. Electric power is commonly 

 used, produced by the very many water-falls. The mills are 

 mostly located at the mouths of rivers near seashore, a most 

 advantageous location. The logs for winter and summer cut are 

 separately stored, the winterwood on land, the summerwood piled 

 in the water so that it is kept under. Assorting is done by half- 

 inch classes by a marking hammer, while still in the water. All 

 work, even this marking, is done by the piece. The sorting of 

 sizes for the different gangs is also done in the water by boys. 

 The stouter logs are slabbed in a special gang. 



The details of the works of several mills are given. At Korsnas 

 mill, where 200 men are employed, these are paid under contract 

 which is revised every three years. The sawyer makes about 

 $1.15, other laborers 75 per cent, of this (85 cents), and boys 

 50 to 60 per cent.; the wage being based upon the cost of sawing 

 up an average log. Houses, fuel, doctor and chances for amuse- 

 ment are furnished by the Company. 



The most modern saws (no band saws anywhere !) make a kerf of 

 only 1.5 to 2 millimeters and run very fast, 360 turns per minute. 



