INDUSTRIES DEPENDENT ON WOOD. 



The annual consumption of wood by mechanical industry reaches an 

 amount that will astonish anyone who has not given his attention to this 

 subject, and as a verification of this, the last census of 1881 enumerates 

 thirty-four industries or occupations which depend in whole or in part 

 upon wood or timber as their raw material for manufacture or commerce, 

 comprising a total number of 17,577 establishments, employing 95,741 

 hands, and turning out manufactured articles valued at $95,029,828. 

 The following table of these industries and accompanying details will 

 show at a glance the enormity of this branch of industry : 



In addition to the foregoing there are numerous other branches of 

 trade that could not be carried on without the aid of wood, which, 

 although it does not form part of their productions, is yet essential to 

 their manufacture or development : such, for instance, as lime burners, 

 brick makers, &c. Railroads are enormous consumers of wood. In 

 building a new road the estimate is that 2,700 ties are required for the 

 mile, and 300 ties are annually wanted to keep the mile in repair. 

 When it is borne in mind that these ties are, for the most part, taken 

 from sound hemlock, oak, larch or cedar trees, selected of a size just 

 sufficient to furnish one or two ties only (the tree being simply hewn on 

 two sides, and leaving the heart entire), the destruction of choice timber 

 approaching a size suitable for sawing is immense. The timber also 



