188 



AMERICAN LUMBER IN FOREIGN MARKETS. 



and other fancy articles. Walnut is largely used for drawing and 

 dining-room furniture of the better class. The lumber of the fir tree is 

 called deal, and is used largely for flooring, doors, windows, frames, 

 and in ordinary building no other wood is used for this purpose. Box- 

 wood is used for engraving upon, and the turner finds it most useful 

 for mathematical instruments, pegs, screws, tops, chessmen, etc., being 

 very hard and readily taking polish. 



IMPORTS OF LUMBER. 



The chief sources of supply are the north of Europe, especially the 

 countries on the Baltic, Norway, Sweden, Eussia, Germany, and the 

 British North American Colonies and the United States. Considerable 

 supplies are also drawn from Belgium, Spain, and the West Indies. 



Mulhall gives the value of the timber consumed yearly in Europe as 

 190,250,000, and in the United States, 77,400,000. The consumption 

 per head in Europe is 41 cubic feet; in the United States, 58 cubic feet. 

 Timber and gold are, according to the same authority, almost the only 

 articles which have not declined in value in the last decade. 



The lumber imported into the United Kingdom from 1889 to 1892 is 

 shown in the following table: 



* A load equals 50 cubic feet of squared timber. 



The total imports from the United States in 1892 were as follows, in 

 loads: Hewn, 165,418; sawn or split, 407,854; staves, 22,761; total 

 596,033. 



PRICES. 



Lumber and timber is sold by the load, the cubic foot, the square 

 foot, the foot run, the ton, the pound or the number of pieces, so that it 

 is difficult to fix a basis, owing to its lack of uniformity. 



CLIMATE. 



The climate is temperate and is noted for its sudden changes. There 

 is a good deal of rain and moisture in the atmosphere. The average 

 temperature in winter is about 40, and in a hot summer as high as 

 90 and 92, and in an ordinary summer about 75. 



GENERAL BUILDING. 



There is no shipbuilding in this district, but there are extensive 

 wagon works such as the Midland Wagon Company, the Birmingham 



