USE OF THE FOREST 147 



The telegraph poles must l)e peeled. Piling pieces, 

 which are driven in the ground for support of bridges, 

 and even houses, are generally preferred with the bark 

 intact. 



The price paid for this class of tiinljer is generally good, 

 ranging from two to ten dollars apiece ; but it is cus- 

 tomary to find a Ijuyer beforehand, to avoid having to 

 store such timber for any length of time. 



Mining Timber. — In the neighljorhood of coal and 

 other mines, many owners of woodlands hnd a good 

 market for a variety of logs to be used as jDroj^s and 

 other supporting timbers. Most of this material serves 

 to hold up the earth in the shafts or tunnels, and quite a 

 variety of sizes as well as kinds are employed. Since 

 wood decays very rapidly in mines, the more permanent 

 structures are usually l)uilt of durable woods, such as oak 

 and chestnut ; but in other parts, or in localities where 

 durable woods are costly, such i^erishable woods as pine, 

 maple, birch, hemlock, etc., are employed. 



The logs are commonly delivered in the rough, and are 

 sawed and fitted by a special sawmill at the mine. 



Export T'lDiher. — Occasionally special prices are offered 

 to woodsmen for large, choice logs of walnut, cherry, 

 yellow poplar, and other kinds of timber, to be shipped 

 abroad. 



Export logs are graded mostly by size (diameter), the 

 larger sizes l)ringing the best prices. They are commonly 



