52 BULLETIN 1007, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



PLUMBERS WOODWORK. 



Basswood is adapted for toilet and medicine cases or cabinets, 

 towel cabinets and racks, and other cabinet work for toilets, which 

 may be finished in basswood and painted in imitation of more expen- 

 sive woods, or enameled to match the tile work of the room. Such 

 cabinets are more often finished in a more decorative wood, such as 

 white oak or birch. 



DOWELS. 



For wooden pins used to hold wooden parts together, mainly in 

 cabinet work, basswood is a preferred wood, because of its good 

 turning qualities. Where the parts are subjected to much strain, 

 stronger woods, such as birch, beech, and maple, are required; and 

 these are the principal species used. 



PATTERNS AND FLASKS. 



Basswood is a very suitable wood for patterns, because it is so 

 easily worked, keeps its shape, and does not split easily. It is used 

 mainly in shop patterns, and it is well liked for templets in ship- 

 building. High-grade, fairly clear stock is required for this use. 



SIGNS AND SUPPLIES. 



Since basswood shows painting and printing to such advantage, 

 it is well adapted for small signboards. White pine, however, is the 

 favorite wood for this purpose and is more durable in situations 

 exposed to the weather. Basswood signs should be kept painted in 

 order to give good service. 



SADDLES AND HARNESS. 



Basswood is valuable for saddletrees, because it is light in weight, 

 strong for its weight, and is easily modeled into various forms. It is 

 adapted for light-weight saddles; for those requiring a high degree 

 of strength, such as the pack saddle and the cowboy saddle, heavier 

 and tougher woods are required. Clear, high-grade, thick stock is 

 utilized for this purpose. Basswood is also used for stirrups, in which 

 it serves for the head or neck blocks. 



MARKETS. 



On account of its growing scarcity and the high value placed upon 

 it for special uses, there is usually little difficulty in finding a ready 

 market for basswood timber. It is commonly sold in the form of 

 lumber, log, and bolt. Where the timber stands are far distant from 

 the factory, basswood is generally manufactured into lumber along 

 with other hardwood species with which it grows in mixture. Cooper- 

 age and woodenware plants, however, in some instances buy tracts 

 of timber from which they log the basswood and other species. In 



