38 BULLETIN 523, V. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



(Doyle scale) for rafts of ash logs delivered for loading on trans- 

 Atlantic steamers, and make a good margin of profit on the opera- 

 tion. The logs are mostly 12 inches and up in top diameter, and 12 

 feet and up in length, although some smaller logs down to 6 inches 

 in diameter are also exported. The exporters figure that the smaller 

 amount of timber shown by Doyle's rule in proportion to what can be 

 cut out from the smaller sized logs warrants paying the same price. 



Several million feet of ash lumber, in deal or plank form, are also 

 exported yearly to Europe and South America. 



During the last part of the eighteenth century American ash be- 

 gan to supplant European ash (from the Baltic region) in English 

 shipbuilding, because of its superior qualities, and large quantities 

 were exported to England for this purpose for nearly a century. It 

 is used for rafters, oars, capstans, bars, blocks, levers, handspikes, 

 pins, etc. 



FUEL. 



The chief minor use of ash is for fuel, for which green ash is es- 

 peciallj'^ used in parts of the Southern States, such as localities 

 along the lower Mississippi River where there is not much pine. It 

 is very easily split, comparatively light, and makes a quick, hot fire. 

 A fairly large quantity of ash finds its way to fuel yards, and char- 

 coal burners also use much of it. Ash has a fuel value of about 90 

 per cent of that of oak. 



FENCING AND OTHER FARM USES. 



Ash is used to a minor extent for fence posts and rails in places 

 where better suited timber is not available, such as the Prairie and 

 Plains States. Black and blue ash are the most durable ash woods 

 for posts, but all species make strong, light rails. Ash is good for 

 rough and ready wagon poles cut by the farmer. The possibilities 

 in these and other general farm uses can be greatly extended by creo- 

 soting. , 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



Black ash is used for mine timbers. It has also been used success- 

 fully for chemical pulp, along with birch, beech, and maple, by one 

 large concern in Elk County, Pa. White, green, black, and Oregon 

 ash bark is used to a limited extent in the drug business^after the 

 removal of the outside corky layer. From three to five cents per 

 pound is paid to collectors of this material. It is not, however, an 

 oflficial drug and is of small commercial importance. Ash wood is 

 distilled to a very limited extent along with birch, beech, and maple 

 for the production of wood alcohol, acetate, and charcoal. Sticks of 



