156 



AMERICAN LUMBER IN FOREIGN MARKETS. 



CLIMATE. 



The climate of Bohemia is humid and salubrious. The range of the 

 thermometer is given as follows (Fahrenheit) : 



January 28 



February 32 



March 38 



April 50 



May 60 



June 69 



July 69 



August 69 



September 62 



October 50 



November .__.. 41 



December 30 



Average 50 



The longest day in the year is sixteen hours ten minutes. The pre- 

 vailing winds are northeast and east in April, north in May, northwest 

 in June, west and southwest in July and August, east in September, 

 southeast in November, and southwest in December. The east and 

 northwest winds bring clouds and dampness. 



GENERAL BUILDING. 



The dwellings, business and farm houses are generally built of brick 

 or stone, and so are all other constructions. Very little wood building 

 is carried on in Bohemia. 



There are no ships built in this district. Canal-boats are built at 

 Budweis and Worlik on the river Moldau. They are very lightly con- 

 structed, serving simply for one trip down the stream. On their arrival 

 in Hamburg or Bremen, they are sold either in whole or broken up, part 

 sold for lumber and the rest for firewood. I was informed that there is 

 very little freight carried back from the seaports to Bohemia, and that 

 it would not pay to tow the empty canal-boats back against the stream, 

 consequently they are disposed of as .stated. About 30 of such canal- 

 boats are constructed yearly at the above-named places. 



The construction of new lines of railroad in Bohemia is now very 

 limited, only short branch lines being built here and there. Most of 

 the ties made here are used for replacements, and the yearly consump- 

 tion averages about 10,000,000. The ties are of pine or oak. They are 

 8 feet long, 5 inches thick, and 7 inches wide. 



The price of pine ties is from 40 to 49 cents, and of oak 81 cents each. 

 The pine ties before they are used are impregnated with a preparation 

 of sulphuric acid in such way that the fluid is forced into every pore of 

 the tie, which is afterwards covered with tar. So prepared, they last 

 on the track from six to seven years. 



JOHN KAREL, 



Consul. 



PRAGVE, January 31, 1894. 



