59 



Table 45. Consumption of Butternut, year ending June, 1912. 



MINOR SPECIES. 



Domestic woods used in only small amounts, and not of sufficient im- 

 portance to discuss separately, are as follows: Holly (American), used by 

 the novelty makers, brought in from the southern Mississippi Valley; State- 

 grown aspen (popple), used for excelsior; willow for woodenware, likewise 

 produced in the State; home-grown mountain laurel used by the furniture 

 makers; and sassafras cut in Maryland and purchased by the ship builders. 



FOREIGN WOODS. 



This term is employed to cover all woods brought into Pennsylvania from 

 foreign countries other than Canada. There are ten of them and Spanish 

 cedar in quantity is the most important. 



Only two states have shown so large a consumption of Spanish cedar as 

 Pennsylvania. Nearly 6,000,000 feet is consumed annually and comes prin- 

 cipally from the West Indies and Mexico. This tree is not a softwood like the 

 native cedars, nor is it related. It has broad leaves, confining its range to 

 the tropical countries. Its aromatic odor, pleasing color, and lightness, to- 

 gether with the fact that it holds its shape and is easily worked, make it 

 the favorite cigar box wood. Boat builders and furniture makers in Pennsyl- 

 vania also report this wood in small quantities. 



Over 3,500,000 feet of mahogany is brought into the State each year. The 

 furniture makers use the largest amount, although 17 other classes of manu- 

 facturers demand it for raw material, and seven of them in quantities ex- 

 ceeding 100,000 feet. The supply of true mahogany comes from Mexico, 

 the West Indies, Central America, and a few states in South America, but 

 it was not possible in any way to ascertain which of these countries sup- 

 plied the Pennsylvania factories, as mahogany lumber is purchased from 

 American dealers who import the logs and cut them in this country. 



Ebony comes next as to quantity among the imported woods and surpasses 

 the consumption of this wood in any other state. The most is used for um- 

 brella handles although the demand for smoking pipe material is also con- 

 siderable. There are many species of ebony and they are found in various 

 countries. Probably the kind coming from Madagascar and India is used 

 most commonly in this country. 



