68 AMERICAN LUMBER IN FOREIGN MARKETS. 



As will be observed by the statistical figures of the imports of Rio 

 de Janeiro for the three years from January 1, 1890, to December 31, 

 1892, American lumber is taking the lead over all other foreign lumber; 

 the only means to increase the lumber trade of the United States with 

 this country would, therefore, be to equalize, as much as possible, ocean 

 freight rates with the rates from European ports. 



JOHN T. LEWIS, 

 Vice Consul General. 

 Rio DE JANEIRO, April 34, 1894. 



CHILE. 



NATIVE WOODS. 



The native woods of Chile are rauli, roble, cypress, luma, lingue, 

 laurel, alamo, and alerce. 



The two most important and mostused of these are rauli and roble; the 

 first, resembling our cedar, is used mostly in the manufacture of furni- 

 ture and also extensively in interior finish for buildings, it being sus- 

 ceptible to a high degree of polish, pliable, and easily worked by 

 machinery. 



The roble is the most plentiful of all the woods here, and corresponds 

 to our oak, being, however, much finer grained, harder, and conse- 

 quently offers more resistance to machinery. The specific gravity of 

 this wood precludes the possibility of its being rafted, which necessi- 

 tates handling by rail; this in a measure will always prevent its com- 

 peting to any great extent with lumber imported from the United States, 

 as the forest section is very mountainous and, consequently, it is difti 

 cult to get the logs to the mills and the lumber from the sawmills. This 

 wood is better adapted to framework than any other purpose. 



The one other wood worthy of mention is the cypress, which is well 

 adapted to the manufacture of railway ties, and is principally used for 

 that purpose, the supply, however, is small. 



KINDS OF LUMBER MOST USED. 



The kinds of lumber most used are Oregon pine and the native rauli 

 and roble, the Orv^on pine being most generally preferred. 



