244 



AMERICAN LUMBER IN FOREIGN MARKETS. 



TIMBER INDUSTRY OF THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC. 



In my former reports I have made frequent reference to the wonder- 

 ful timber resources of the Argentine Republic. They consist entirely 

 of hard woods, susceptible of the finest polish, and specially adapted 

 to cabinet and other fine work. For years they have found a consid- 

 erable market in Europe, though the expense of developing them as 

 they are found only in the far interior provinces and in the Chaco 

 regions of the Parana and Paraguay rivers prevents them from com- 

 ing into more general use. In the last few years, also, there has been 

 much inquiry for red quebracho chips and extract, for tanning purposes, 

 and it is believed that a large business could be done by enterprising 

 capitalists in meeting this demand. The timber industry, however, 

 during the past year has shown no increase in activity, though ship- 

 ments to Europe have been quite steady, while the home consumption 

 of these magnificent woods by the wood manufacturers now located 

 here is beginning to assume considerable importance. In the following 

 table I give the value of annual exports of Argentine hard woods from 

 1875 to 1895: 



The exports of the extract of "quebracho Colorado" for the first nine 

 months of 1895 the first time its export has appeared in the custom- 

 house returns amount to the sum of $238,042. The exports of red 

 quebracho chips or chunks (rollizos) in 1893 amounted to 63,297 tons, 

 valued at $632,970; in 1894, 74,358 tons, valued at $743,582; for the 

 first nine months of 1895, 127,330 tons, valued at $1,273,298, thus show- 

 ing the increasing demand for this timber for tanning purposes. Nearly 

 all these shipments were destined for Great Britain. 



Besides this foreign demand for the red quebracho, the demand 

 for it at home continues to increase. In addition to the use of it for 

 cabinetwork, furniture, doors, sills, window frames, etc., the immense 

 timbers are employed. for sleepers, beams, joists, bridges, and other 

 like purposes. And now the streets of Buenos Ayres are being paved 

 with red quebracho parallel-opipedons with most satisfactory results. 



Several years ago a movement was made to send the red cedar of tin* 

 Misiones to the United States, and several cargoes were shipped, but 



