226 AMERICAN LUMBER IN FOREIGN MARKETS. 



quality is superior to that of the native woods. The wood trade of this country 

 demands a great deal of the cheaper varieties. 



The only American wood generally known here is the pitch pine, and we dare say 

 that the increase in. the imports of this wood is due to the efforts of our firm, made 

 for years past in this direction. Unfortunately, prices are always much higher than 

 those for similar native woods, and, for this reason, their use is limited. In some 

 cases, pitch pine is preferred on account of its suitable dimensions, or where wood 

 containing a great deal of pitch is required for special purposes. This wood will 

 always find a good sale for parquet iloors, but only in the better qualities, and if 

 prices could be lowered a little the sales could be much increased. Second qualities, 

 as have sometimes been sent here, are not wanted, and it is in the interest of Ameri- 

 can exporters to ship only first qualities if they want, to increase the demand. 



Other American woods can be used, provided the qualities are as good and prices 

 not higher than that of woods most in use here. 



Switzerland imports great quantities of oak boards from the most remote sections 

 of Hungary, etc., unfinished parquetry especially. The freight charges on these 

 shipments are just about double the freight charges from America to Switzerland, 

 when sent in shiploads. If, therefore, the American oak wood can be used for par- 

 quet flooring, as we suppose must be the case, and the raw product can be bought 

 as cheap in the United States as in Hungary and Russia, the American product, no 

 doubt, will find ready sale in large quantities. 



The native beech is also much used for parquetry, being as durable as oak and 

 one-third cheaper. If America furnishes a wood similar to our beech, which is very 

 hard, sales would be still more extensive than in oak wood. 



As to dimensions and quality of oak and beech friezes, they should be as follows : 

 Thickness, 27 millimeters (1.06 inches), with at least 1 to 2 millimeters surplus meas- 

 ure;, length, mostly 60 centimeters (23.6 inches), or between 50 to 70 centimeters 

 (19.7 to 27| inches), with 3 to 5 centimeters surplus measure; width, mostly 12 cen- 

 timeters (4.7 inches), or between 11 to 12 centimeters, with 3 to 5 millimeters sur- 

 plus measure. The quality required is the perfectly air dried, clear of knots and 

 spots, and of even color. The cuts must, of course, be strictly parallel. As to 

 prices, oak friezes will command about 40 to 50 per cent more, and beech friezes 30 

 to 40 per cent less, than pitch-pine flooring, delivered, freight and duty paid, in 

 Switzerland. 



There is also some demand for a cheap soft wood for flooring, which must also be 

 perfectly free of knots, at a price not to exceed the price of first-class quality of 

 native pine, which is sold about two-fifths cheaper than pitch pine. 



I would suggest that American exporters address Messrs. Gebrueder 

 Masera, this firm being the largest of Swiss wood importers. They are 

 ready and willing to give any information desired regarding their own 

 requirements, or on other woods needed here as lumber, for the man- 

 ufacture of tables and chairs, box lumber, staves for hogsheads, etc. 



STAVES. 



Statistics show that Switzerland imports annually about 000,000 

 francs ($115,800) worth of rough staves and finished cooper articles. 

 The staves most in demand are of the smaller sizes, varying from 34 to 

 7~ centimeters (13 to 20 inches) in length. Hungary supplies most of 

 them. These staves are split and trimmed with the ax, and not sawed : 

 they vary in width from 4 to 1 1 inches. 



\V. Weiss, Thalacker, Zurich, is the principal stave importer in this 

 district. 



