68 USES OF COMMERCIAL WOODS OF THE UNITED STATES. 



to obtain permission from anyone in authority, for the mountain 

 lands, where the sugar pine grew, had not been surveyed. 



More sugar pine was cut in that way in the Sierras than of all 

 other woods combined, for it was lighter and softer than the yellow 

 pine and better than the fir. Another species drawn upon largely, 

 under the assumption that the Government would not protest, was 

 the incense cedar for fence posts. The value of those two woods 

 pine and cedar in the development of the region within reach of 

 the Sierra timber belt can scarcely be estimated. Teams toiled up 

 the steep grades to altitudes of from 4,000 to 6,000 feet, and hauled 

 the fencing and building material from the mountain mills to the 

 valleys below, often to a distance of 40, 50, and even 100 miles. That 

 was before railroads brought in lumber from other regions. 



Shingle mills quickly followed sawmills to the sugar pine forests, 

 and shakes gave place to shingles on the better class of buildings. 

 As the fruit industry began to develop, producing raisins and oranges, 

 the box factory came to meet the new demand. At first, while good 

 timber was plentiful and cheap, the box maker used all grades, but 

 preferred the best ; but later the price went up on the good grades, 

 and the makers of boxes drew more largely upon lower grades. Some 

 of the factories located in the timber belt and cut all kinds and all 

 grades, manufacturing from the stump. Others bought cheap lum- 

 ber from sawmills and carried on no logging operations. Sugar 

 pine is a favorite wood for raisin boxes, not only because it is hand- 

 some and light, but because it imparts no taste or odor to articles 

 packed in it. Some mills make a specialty of raisin boxes; others 

 work their entire output into raisin trays little portable platforms 

 weighing a pound or more on which the grapes are sun dried in 

 the vineyards where they grow. 



Sugar pine is a substitute for the eastern white pine for many 

 purposes. The two woods are much alike in appearance and prop- 

 erties. White pine has about the same weight per cubic foot, has a 

 slightly higher fuel value and considerably more elasticity, and is 

 lower in ash. The lists of uses are much the same, but the amount 

 of white pine manufactured in 1908 was thirty-three times that of 

 sugar pine. The latter wood is shipped into the white pine region, 

 where it sells at about the same price as white pine. It enters all 

 the leading markets of New England and the Middle States. 



Pattern makers still place white pine above all other woods in 

 their business, but sugar pine is a close second, and some would make 

 it equal. Large quantities of sugar pine are made into matches in 

 California, and it serves the slack cooperage makers well, and also 

 the manufacturers of woodenware. It has a place in boat building, 

 largely for decking. Planing mills work it into molding, panels, 

 posts, railing, and other interior finish, as well as blinds, sash, doors, 



