UTILIZATION OF BASSWOOD. 57 



each of the years 1906, 1907, and 1909 the total amount of basswood 

 lumber cut was about 400,000,000 board feet. At present the total 

 annual use of basswood for all purposes probably does not exceed 

 250,000,000 board feet. The total stand of basswood timber is esti- 

 mated to be about 9,000,000,000 board feet. 



Basswood is valued mainly for its light eolor, light weight, and 

 good working and seasoning qualities, and because it shows printing 

 to advantage. It is used mainly for wooden containers and utensils 

 which come in contact with food, including boxes, barrels, pails, 

 tubs, and kitchen woodenware. Cabinetwork and inside finish of 

 buildings are also important uses. 



Raw material is used in the form of the log, bolt, and lumber. 

 Logs are used for the production of veneer, which is made into ply- 

 wood for trunks, furniture, and other cabinetwork. Logs are also 

 converted into veneer for cheese boxes. Basswood in the log is used 

 for the manufacture of matches by the veneer process. Logs are 

 also used in large quantities for making pails, tubs, and slack-barrel 

 heading. The bolts are used mainly for conversion into excelsior 

 and pulpwood. The principal uses in the form of lumber are for 

 boxes, inside finish, apiarists' supplies, laundry appliances, and toys. 

 Its most exacting use is for honey sections to hold comb honey, for 

 which purpose a white wood is required. Basswood is an ideal wood 

 for candy pails and cracker and candy boxes, because of its clean ap- 

 pearance and light weight and because it does not taint substances 

 in contact with it. Its light color also makes it very much in demand 

 for Hour-barrel heading, cheese boxes, excelsior, pulpwood, and laun- 

 dry appliances, including mainly washboards and ironing boards. 

 Its lightness and good seasoning and gluing qualities make it an 

 excellent core wood, producing a strong, light panel. Because of 

 these properties it is the preferred wood for trunks. 



Basswood generally finds a ready market in the form of the log or 

 bolt, or as lumber. For the small timber owner the log and bolt are 

 the most advantageous forms for marketing. Large, clear, high- 

 grade logs bring the best prices when sold for conversion into veneer. 

 Small and low-grade logs and bolts can be disposed of most profitably 

 to woodenware and slack-cooperage factories. Clear, small-dimen- 

 sion stock can be sold to best advantage to excelsior and pulpwood 

 plants. It is desirable to obtain information on prices, specifica- 

 tions, and methods of measurement from prospective purchasers 

 before the standing timber is converted into marketable form. 



Since basswood reproduces easily and increases in size rapidly in 

 situations favorable for the growth of the tree, and since the timber 

 is readily marketable in various forms, owners of land suitable mainly 

 for timber production in the basswod region will find it advantageous 

 to encourage the growth of this species. 



