174 AMERICAN LUMBER IN FOREIGN MARKETS. 



CLIMATE. 



The climate in this district is similar in mean temperature, rainfall 

 and general character to that of southern Indiana or Kentucky. The 

 extremes of heat and cold are, however, less marked here than in any 

 corresponding climate in the United States. 



GENERAL BUILDING. 



There is no wooden boat or ship building of any consequence in 

 this district. There are still many wooden vessels in service on the 

 Ehine, but they belong mainly to the older class j the new barges and 

 steamers, which carry most of the traffic on that river and its tributaries, 

 are made of iron and steel. 



EXTENSION OF LUMBER TRADE. 



In respect to th e hard and more valuable woods, the field which 

 is offered in Germany to American exporters is much more promising. 



The American black walnut is superior to any cabinet wood found in 

 this country, and there is already a considerable import of that mate- 

 rial, chiefly in the form of rough-hewn squared logs, which are landed 

 at Hamburg, under the minimum duty of 50 cents per ton, and sold at 

 auction to dealers and consumers, who saw them up into the required 

 sizes and forms. The advantage gained by this form of importation 

 applies similarly to all other woods. The squared log, which is entered 

 at a duty rate of 50 cents per ton, would, if sawed into boards, be duti- 

 able at $2 per ton, or $11.90 per ton if sawed into veneerings. But, on 

 the other hand, few cabinetmakers are able to judge with certainty 

 from outside examination what the interior quality of a large walnut 

 or bird's-eye maple log may be, and many therefore prefer to buy their 

 walnut and other fine lumber ready sawed and seasoned. Black-walnut 

 timber for the German market may be of first or second quality, from 

 8 to 16 feet long, 6 to 18 inches wide, and 1, 1J, 1J, and 2 inches thick. 

 The same dimensions apply to ash lumber designed for furniture and 

 house-finishing purposes. 



Oak flooring is largely used in this country, but the imported mate- 

 rial must compete in price with the home-grown supply and with the 

 oak of Austria and Eussia, and whatever business is done in this line 

 must be based on close profits. Oak or ash flooring is rarely laid 

 straight and parallel, but is cut up into lengths of 20 to 24 inches and 

 laid in " herringbone " or other simple patterns on an under sheathing 

 of pine. For this purpose the oak stuff need be only 4 or 5 inches 

 wide, and is readily furnished by small trees such as grow plentifully 

 in some districts of Germany. Oak lumber sent to this country should 

 be, unless otherwise specified, an inch thick, from 4 to 6 inches wide, 

 from 4 to 16 feet long, and seasoned until its weight does not exceed 



