Dowels and Skewers 143 
times they are threaded to hold like screws, but instead of being 
turned into the wood they are driven in like pegs, the threads 
giving a better hold upon the sides of the auger holes. New 
York State is an important producer of cooperage stock, and 
dowels naturally assume importance as an allied trade. Some 
minor industries, such as the production of shipping crates and 
poultry-coops, are also important in the State and consume 
much of the dowel stock. Some shipping crates are made wholly 
of these small rods and give great strength to the crate. It is 
estimated that a good coop or crate made of birch rods is 
approximately twice as strong and only half as heavy. as the 
small lumber formerly used. Chairs, cribs, and small beds 
consume much dowel stock. 
Skewers are pointed wooden pins or rods similar to dowels. 
used by the meat trade to hold meat to a spit or for keeping it 
in form while roasting. The manufacture of skewers, like 
dowels, is a machine operation. Thin boards are fed into 
the machine and the skewers come out at the other end. 
Dowels and skewers must be of hardwood and all of that used 
in 1919 came from within the State. Beech, birch, maple, 
ash, and basswood all furnish suitable material. These species 
are so readily obtainable that the cost of dowel stock was low. 
the average price being $55.94. The price in 1912 was $34.38. 
The quantity reported has decreased over 50 per cent and the 
number of firms reporting diminished in about the same ratio. 
Metal skewers are now used in large quantities. 
TABLE 43 
DOWELS AND SKEWERS 
Quantity Usep 
ANNUALLY Avert Total cost Grown in |Grown out of 
cos 
K Woo fo. b: New York. | New York. 
7 as. om per eee factory (Feet b. m.) | (Feet b. m.) 
potas sere. - 377,000 | 100.00 | $55 94 $21,080 S00 O008 | dstae cpaeite rare 
PN GIMaianerage ra sense eo 200,000 53.05 | $70 00 $14,000 200% COO) | Parmer 
Hardimaple.... 3:4... 67 ,000 ya ehr/ 40 00 2,680 67,000) pin ios eine 
IBIFCH AP anche = «ots oe 65,000 17.24 40 00 2,600 Go O0GN errr eet 
INGGGRiaeielyo 4 deine 45,000 11.94 40 00 1,800 455000) |\has cosets ye 
