32 Discussion of Industries 
red maple. ted maple, or scarlet maple as it 1s sometimes 
called, is more abundant and found on the market in greater 
quantities. It reaches its best growth along streams and in 
low, wet swamps. 
The staple demand of the market, however, is for hard or 
sugar maple (Acer saccharum), because this wood has quali- 
ties of hardness, strength and stiffness, combined with unusual 
beauty of grain and capacity to receive finish, which fit it for 
a very wide variety of uses. No other wood used in New York 
is reported to be used in so many different. industries. 
White oak follows maple closely in the amount of wood used. 
In several industries, such as agricultural implements, vehicles 
and vehicle stock, white oak is one of the most important 
species. Its high average price of $93.81 per M. feet f. o. b. 
factory is evidence of its desirability for most uses. Local 
woodlots contribute only about 6 million feet, or one-tenth of 
the total white oak consumed in the State, whereas in 1912 the 
home-grown supply was over 30 million feet. West Virginia, 
Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, and Arkansas supply most of the 
oak shipped into New York from outside. 
Birch includes several different genera: yellow birch (Betula 
lutea), paper birch (Betula papyrifera), sweet birch (Betula 
lenta), and gray birch (Betula populifolia), which are listed 
in order of quantity consumed. Yellow birch is by far the most 
important of these birches commercially, and finds a ready 
market in a great variety of industries. New York produces 
over one-half of the birch consumed by her factories, most 
of which is yellow birch. White or paper birch has qualities 
of strength, hardness, and closeness of grain similar to yellow 
birch, but is much lighter in weight and is also whiter. White 
birch is used mostly for pulleys and brush backs, as reported 
by New York industries. Gray birch and sweet birch are 
relatively unimportant but find entrance into the industries 
in mixture with other genera. 
Ash growing in New York consists of several different 
kinds, but the only two of importance are: white ash (Fraximus 
americana) and black ash (Fraxinus nigra). White ash is 
