18 



MASSACHUSETTS WOOD-USING INDUSTRIES. 



LASTS AND FILLERS. 



Table 8 presents statistics of the manufacture of lasts and fillers 

 for the shoe trade. Fillers, which are also known as shoe forms or 

 stretchers, are made of yellow poplar and basswood. The number is 

 about 10 per cent, of the number of lasts. Only four woods were 

 reported for this industry. Maple and beech supply the material for 

 lasts, maple constituting 99 per cent, of the total. The most of it is 

 cut in Michigan, with Pennsylvania as a second. The last industry 

 stands sixth in the State for quantity of wood used, and it is worthy 

 of note that the reports do not show that one foot of the wood was 

 grown in Massachusetts. The manufactured product goes to every 

 important country of the world where leather or rubber shoes are 

 made. Lasts for rubber shoes and boots constitute a considerable 

 trade, but they are not separately listed in the table. Only three lines 

 of manufacture reported woods of lower average price than last makers 

 use. These were toys, baskets and cooperage and tanks, statistics for 

 which are shown respectively in Tables 9, 18 and 19. Last wood is 

 selected with great care, is seasoned during two or more years, and is 

 worked by machinery as true as skill can make it. 



TABLE 8. Lasts and Fillers. 



COOPERAGE AND TANKS. 



Table 9 presents statistics of an industry which cannot be clearly 

 defined, but its principal products are pails and buckets for confec- 

 tionery and articles of that nature, tubs, keelers, churns, caddies, fir- 

 kins, kits, tanks, vats and wooden receptacles of many kinds. No 

 barrels or kegs for beer, molasses or spirituous liquors are included. 

 The average price of the wood employed was lower than for any other 



