44 



FORESTRY BRANCH BULLETIN No. 63 



TABLE 7 COFFINS, CASKETS AND SHELLS 



*Less than one-tenth of 1 per cent. 



This industry manufactures coffins, caskets, and shells. It comes eleventh 

 in the list and its total wood consumption reported is 2,782,000 feet board 

 measure, 0-4 per cent of the total. Only a few large firms are exclusively 

 engaged in the manufacture of coffins, shells, and caskets, many sash and door 

 manufacturers making them, generally on order, to meet local demand. 



Twelve species of wood are used, with basswood predominating. Basswood 

 leads in only two industries, the other one being musical instruments. Two 

 industries only, boxes and crating, and sash, door and building material, employ 

 more basswood than this one. 



The hardwoods are used rather more than the softwoods, these two groups 

 forming respectively 51-6 and 48-4 per cent of the total. 



The manufacturers of coffins, etc., use solid wood, no veneer. Basswood 

 is stained and varnished to imitate rosewood or oak. Birch is stained to 

 imitate mahogany. The hardwoods of inferior quality are covered with cloth. 

 Pine and spruce are used in cloth-covered coffins or for shells as is most of the 

 balsam fir and hemlock. The average price paid is $22.64 per thousand feet 

 board measure, or nearly $5 above the average price for all the industries. 

 It compares well with Ontario and the Maritime Provinces which paid $23.84 

 and $21.16 respectively. 



Nearly all the wood material is purchased in Quebec; the United States 

 and other foreign countries supplying only 37,000 feet board measure. The 

 material is purchased in the form of boards and planks. 



The field of trade extends to all the provinces of the Dominion. 



