83 



Twelve woods were reported by casket makers. They range from high 

 priced mahogany down to low grades of chestnut and white pine. These burial 

 cases are varied in design, some have an octagonal appearance the cor- 

 ners instead of being rectangular are cut off and squared. Some have rounded 

 corners, and others are uniformly rectangular. Nearly all are cloth covered 

 and though this permits the use of the lower grades, the lumber selected is 

 free from the defects which would likely affect the strength and durability 

 of the casket. Chestnut is the most used casket wood in all states because it 

 has proved especially durable under ground, and it possesses the combined 

 qualities of lightness and strength, cheapness, and an affinity for glue that 

 holds the cloth. Some of the chestnut used in casket manufacture is of the 

 best, but the largest part is the "sound wormy" grade. As far as durability is 

 concerned this grade is sufficient and the fact that it is perforated with the 

 small worm holes averaging the size of a pin head is an advantage rather than 

 a detriment, as in covering the casket these holes afford an additional hold 

 for the glue. Other woods generally competing as casket material are yellow 

 poplar, red oak, white cedar, cypress, red cedar, white pine, walnut, red 

 gum, white oak, sugar maple, and mahogany. All of them go for cloth 

 covered caskets and some answer for burial cases finished with natural ap- 

 pearance where the wood selected has a handsome grain and is susceptible to 

 the highest polish, similar to that on piano cases. High priced caskets are 

 of this kind and in addition the most expensive are richly carved. The Penn- 

 sylvania manufacturers use quartered red oak and white oak, mahogany, and 

 walnut for making these and also to a limited extent red gum, which, from 

 the price paid , must have been selected to imitate Circassian walnut. 



The lumber used for outer cases, sometimes called rough boxes, and for 

 shipping cases to protect the coffiin or casket in transit, is made of similar 

 woods, but the latter are more carefully manufactured, stronger and neater 

 in appearance. At their destination they serve as rough boxes to receive the 

 casket when put into the ground. White pine in Pennsylvania meets most 

 of the demand and yellow poplar next. Other species reported were western 

 white pine, red cedar, hemlock, chestnut, red oak, and mahogany. 



Table 54. Wood for Caskets and Coffins, year ending June, 1912. 



