News and Notes. 361 



Products : 



Turpentine, gallons, 505,800 654./ 11 



Value $166,343 $304,860 



Charcoal, bushels, 1,995,728 1,158,364 



Value $186,616 $102,41 1 



Oil, gallons',' .'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.' 304,979 391,9*6 



Value $56,043 $69,399 



Tar, gallons, 066,675 760,836 



Value, $8i,349 $58,132 



Pyroligneous acid, gallons, 8,100 



Value $810 



While the figures indicate a marked falling off in activity during 

 1908 in the industry of hardwood distillation, the showing for 

 softwoods compares favorably with that of the preceding year. 

 Developments of interest in softwood distillation are noted in the 

 relatively large increase in the quantity of mill waste utilized as 

 material, and in the fact that Douglas fir for the first time was 

 reported in considerable quantity. 



A preliminary report by the Bureau of Census on the purchase 

 of poles in the United States during the calendar year ending 

 December 31, 1908, shows the same falling off in production: 



Kinds of Wood 1908 1907 



Number Cost Number Cost 



Total, 3,249,154 $5,928,824 3,283,268 $8,081,768 



Cedar 2,200,139 3,780,973 2,109,477 5,202,617 



Chestnut, 516,049 1,227,273 630,282 1,619,785 



Oak 160,702 95,032 76,450 60,285 



Pine, 1 16,749 382,710 i55,96o 459,545 



Cypress 90,579 148,070 100,368 307,974 



Juniper, 42,367 83,401 38,925 109,226 



Tamarack, 24,123 32,212 13,884 10,247 



All other 08,446 179,153 157,922 312,089 



Marked decreases were noted in the returns from the groups of 

 purchasers comprising electric railways, light and power com- 

 panies, and steam railroad companies, the total for the 

 former group in 1898 equalling only 79 per cent, and that 

 of the latter 53 per cent, of their reported totals in 

 1907. These were largely offset, however, by the purchases of 

 telephone and telegraph companies, which exceeded those of 1907 

 by a considerable margin though the returns of some of the largest 

 buyers in this group carried materially smaller figures for 1908. 

 The percentages contributed to the total purchases in 1908 and 

 1907 were, by groups, as follows : telephone and telegraph com- 

 panies, 79 per cent, and 70 per cent. ; electric railroads and electric 



