120 



Table 75. Wood for Frames and Mouldings, year ending June, 1912. 



REFRIGERATORS AND KITCHEN CABINETS. 



Table 76 lists the woods used in Pennsylvania in the manufacture of re- 

 frigerators, kitchen cabinets, and cupboards. The combination cabinets and 

 cupboards have become almost indispensable to housekeepers in that they 

 provide a convenient place for all the accessories to cooking that are neces- 

 sary to be kept at hand. In late years they have become popular and fac- 

 tories making them specialize in this line. Because they are sold at low prices 

 they are not usually made of the upper grades of lumber that are employed 

 in the manufacture of furniture. Yellow poplar and oak, both red and 

 white, and to a limited extent birch, are the woods mainly used in Penn- 

 sylvania for the case or outside work. The interior parts, such as shelving, 

 compartment partitions, drawer sides and bottoms, etc., are made of yellow 

 poplar, spruce, cottonwood, maple and beech. The backs of these cases are 

 also made of low grade material and none of special quality or kind was de- 

 manded. Almost any cheap species, easily worked, will answer. In conse- 

 quence, a proportion of nearly all listed in the table served for this use. 

 Shortleaf pine, spruce, and white oak were reported for framing. 



Refrigerators run from what are practically small ice boxes to large sec- 

 tional cases the size of a room used by butchers and others doing business 

 requiring cold storage equipment. Refrigerators and chests for domestic 

 purposes call for soft woods of conifers for linings. The reason for this is 

 that many hardwoods have an odor and therefore are unfit for a storage 

 compartment of perishable foodstuffs. Spruce is the principal lining ma- 

 terial in Pennsylvania, and was also employed for ice pan supports. Cypress 

 in some states is used for this purpose and in others white and yellow pine 

 is used. The siding or outer case is usually hardwood, white oak, white 

 ash, red oak, biroh, cherry, and red gum. They are selected as being 

 not only best for the work intended, but the exterior properly finished gives 

 the chest the appearance of an article of furniture. The case is not attached 



