84 FOREST^ UTILIZATION 



The forms preferred in slack cooperage, either locally 

 or for given goods, vary to such a degree that figures 

 descriptive of the forms cannot be recorded. 

 II. The "Tight Coopers' Union" specifies : 



(a) Whisky barrel staves length 34 inches to 35 



inches, thickness % inch, width 4^ inch after 

 jointing, measured across bilge on the outside. 



(b) Wine barrel staves length 34 inches, thickness 

 ' 11/16 inch after drying and planing, width 4^2 



inches. 



(c) Oil, tierce and pork staves have similar dimen- 



sions, allowing, however, of sap, one or two 

 sound worm holes and knots showing on one 

 side only. 



Variations of % inch in length and 1/16 inch in 

 thickness are permitted in all staves (so called 

 equalized staves). 



Pipes, butts and puncheons contain over 100 gal- 

 lons and are used for port, rum etc. 



A hogshead of claret is 46 gallons. 



D. Statistical notes : 



I. One thousand feet board measure in logs Doyle's rule 

 yield 2,500 sawed flour staves, 3,200 veneered staves, 

 4,000 cut hoops or 3,000 sawn hoops. 

 II. One cord of bolts, with the bark, will make 1,000, or, 



without bark, 1,200 slack staves. 



III. In Tennessee, eight white oaks (of over 18 inches diam- 

 eter) are said to average 1,000 half barrel beer staves. 



E. Prices and their tendency : 



Staves Apr. 1, 1901. Feb. 10, 1904. 



No. 1, flonr barrel, per 1,000 $9.00 $11.00 to $13.50 



No. I, eottonwood per 1,000 6.00 



No. 1. gum, per 1.000 10.00 to 12.00 



Memphis white oak, without sap 26.00 44.00 



Heading- 

 No. 1, flour barrel, per set 06% .08 to .08% 



No. 1, gum, per set 04 .07% to .08 



Hoops 



Coiled elm hoops, per 1.000 7.00 9.00 to 10.00 



Hickory hoops, per 1,000 6.00 6.25 to 6.75 



Barrels 



Flour, 12 hickory hoop barrel 41 .45 to .48% 



Flour. 8 patent hoop barrel 39 .46 



Flour mugwump (10 hickory hoops) 39 .45 



Oil (52 gallon) 1.45 



The price of white oak material has risen rapidly and must 



continue to rise indefinitely, substitutes for white oak being 



impossible. 

 In slack cooperage, on the other hand, raw material continues 



to be plentiful, and new, cheaper forms of packages enter into 



daily competition with the barrel. 

 The cost of making tierces at Chicago is : Staves ($21 per 



1,000), 39 cents; heading, 16 cents; hoops, 20 cents; wages, 



25 cents; total, $i. 



