OUR TIMBER SUPPLIES FROM ABROAD. 357 
experienced a steady rise. Consumption, or extra demand, has not 
caused this, but it arises from the fact of the demolition of the 
forests within reasonable distance of the seaboard. There is a 
growing tendency to import manufactured Canadian pine, and 
the figures of same, compared with hewn, may be quoted,—the 
1,366,571 loads being made up of 180,966 loads of hewn, and 
1,185,605 loads of sawn and manufactured timber. There is less 
to be said against the growth of Canadian manufactured imports 
than that of Sweden, as the freight saved on deals and battens 
over logs is very considerable, the rate from Sweden being only 
about 8s. per load, while from America it is about 24s. 
The vast forests of immense trees in British Columbia have recently 
been drawn upon for introduction into this country as a substitute 
for yellow pine, but so far the experiment has proved unsatisfactory. 
The timber can be got larger and cleaner, but it lacks that mild 
nature which is characteristic of the Canadian pine. It is found 
difficult to sustain a polish, and is too strong in the reed for fine 
household or ship work. The supplies in British Columbia are 
practically unlimited, and for rough work, in beams, etc., might 
adapt itself, but the distance from our shores quite handicaps it 
in competition with other woods used for similar purposes. 
Pitch pine timber has taken a most important place in our 
industries. The supplies available are immense, and there is every 
probability that they will be maintained. The cheapness of this 
wood has popularised its use, notwithstanding the fact that the 
cost of freight is about 35s. per load. It is sold here at something 
like 50s. per load, which, with insurance and other charges, cannot 
leave more than 10s. per load at port of shipment. It is cut 
down, sawn, and transported a long distance for this sum, 
which gives us some indication of what could be done were our 
foresters at home to exercise their ingenuity on the question of 
transport from the woods, 
Kauri timber from New Zealand now receives much favour. 
It is, however, classed as a fancy wood, and is only utilised for 
cabinet purposes, so it can scarcely be included in an article 
on common timber. New Zealand is too far away to draw upon 
for ordinary carpenter’s timber, which really forms 80 per cent. 
of our imports. 
A class of wood that is becoming popular is ‘“ Whitewood,” 
called also “Canary wood” or “Butternut.” It is taking the 
