14 BULLETIN 152, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



MINOR USES. 

 SHINGLES. 



Because of the prevalence of shake, hemlock is not well adapted for 

 shingles, unless these are carefully sawed and well graded. It ranks 

 seventh or eighth among the species most used. Census figures show 

 a steady decrease in the manufacture of hemlock shingles from 1899, 

 when nearly 392 million were made, until 1911, when only about 26 

 million were produced. These figures correspond to 3.2 per cent and 

 0,2 per cent, respectively, of the total annual production of shingles. 



CEOSSTIES. 



About 2.5 per cent of all crossties used in the United States are of 

 hemlock, which ranks about ninth among the tie-producing species. 

 Between 1906 and 1911 the annual production of hemlock ties in- 

 creased from 2,058,000 to 3,686,000. Nearly all of these are hewed 

 ties and are used by steam railroads. Oak and cedar are more 

 durable, but hemlock compares favorably with the other woods used, 

 and is said to hold spikes better than the cedar without tie plates. 

 The average cost of hemlock ties is from 28 to 38 cents, which is, in 

 general, lower than for other species. 



Untreated hemlock ties have been estimated 1 to last about 5 years, 

 which is also the estimated life of untreated beech, birch, and maple 

 ties. The estimated duration of cedar ties is 11 years; of white oak, 

 8; of chestnut, *l\\ of tamarack and spruce, 7; and of black oak, 4 

 years. Preservative treatment is said to triple the life of hemlock 

 ties. In 1911, 535,255 hemlock ties — 14.5 per cent of all produced — 

 were treated with preservative, nearly all — 98.5 per cent — with a 

 mixture of zinc chloride and creosote; the remainder with creosote 

 alone. 



SLACK COOPERAGE. 



Slack cooperage is primarily a hardwood industry, and aside from 

 pine, which leads in the production of heading and is second in that of 

 staves, the conifers are but poorly represented. Hemlock has never 

 supplied much material for this industry, and its importance is 

 rapidly diminishing. In 1909, which is the last year for which hem- 

 lock is listed separately in census statistics, it ranked sixteenth among 

 the species supplying the industry, and contributed less than 1 per 

 cent of either staves or headings. The annual production of hem- 

 lock staves is from 10 to 12 millions, and of headings, about 1,200,000 

 sets. 



VENEEE. 



A very small amount of hemlock — less than 1 per cent — is used 

 annually for veneer manufacture. In 1909, hemlock ranked twenty- 



i "Wood Preservation," by W. F. Sherfesee and H. F. Weiss, in Report of National Conservation Com- 

 mission, 60th Cong., 2d sess., S. Doe. 676, 1W», p. 663. 



