THE USES OF WOOD 



735 



toy boats are not intended for 

 actual journeys on water, and if 

 the child attempts to navigate 

 them he is liable to meet disap- 

 pointment when he sees them 

 careen upon their beam ends, or 

 perhaps whop over and float 

 keel up. The kinds of boats that 

 come to children from toyland 

 are nearly as numerous as the 

 carts and wagons. There are 

 dugouts, canoes, skiffs, lighters, 

 whaleboats, canal boats, barges, 

 scows, dhows, yachts, schooners, 

 steamers, and war vessels. In 

 some of these a good deal of 

 metal is employed, but others are 

 wood. 



Toy furniture is made in almost 

 endless variety, yet it falls into 

 two general classes, that suited to 

 ihe living rooms, and that de- 

 signed for the kitchen, laundry, 

 and pantry. The makers find 

 their models for both kinds in 

 furniture stores, for the child is 



pleased with a copy of what he sees around him. Toy 

 furniture is nearly all made of wood. It is produced in 

 natural finish, or it is painted, varnished, fumed, or 

 stained, exactly as real furniture is finished, but the toy 

 is necessarily a cheap imitation. Some is of regular furni- 



ROUGH MATERIAL FOR TOYS 



Measured and cut lumber .constitutes one of the first and most important steps in the manufacture of 

 toys, for without a good beginning it would be difficult to secure a satisfactory completion of the 

 article which is to amuse -and instruct the child. 



ture woods, oak, birch, maple, cherry, basswood, mahog- 

 any, and gum, but a larger part of cheaper wood, like 

 pine, fir, and spruce. Upholstered toy furniture is not 

 common, because it is not much in demand. It is easily 

 soiled and spoiled. For that reason, high grade parlor 

 furniture is not much imitated 

 in the toy shop. Bedroom and 

 library suits are most popular, 

 including tables, stands, chairs, 

 bedsteads, dressers, chests of 

 drawers, bookcases, and rockers. 

 A class somewhat distinct from 

 this is camp furniture, and pieces 

 tot, porci), garden, and lawn. 

 Some of the outdoor styles are 

 strictly rustic, made of poles and 

 pieces with the bark on. A con- 

 siderable part of toy furniture is 

 sawed in solid pieces from 

 blocks, the principal tool for this 

 work being a scroll saw. Arti- 

 cles of this kind are small, only 

 a few inches high, while some 

 of the other furniture classed as 

 toys is of sufficient size to give 

 it use. Therefore, the separating 

 line between real and toy furni- 

 ture is not always clearly drawn. 

 The second division of toy fur- 

 niture and woodenware belongs 

 to the kitchen and laundry, and 

 here are again found faithful 



BEAUTY PARLOR IN A TOY FACTORY 



Paint is a pretty important thing in a toy maker's shop, for one thing is always held to be important, 

 and that is that the finished articles must look nice, and nothing can take the place of paint in 

 adding this highly essential quality. 



