426 FOREST PRODUCTS 



stock and packing (common fine grade), sells for $8.00 to $22.00 per ton 

 f.o.b. cars at the mill. The average price would probably be around 

 $1 2.00 per ton before the war. The coarser grade of excelsior brings from 

 $1.00 to $2.00 per ton below the common fine. 



Wood wool, the finest grade of excelsior, brings from $24.00 to $35.00 

 per ton f.o.b. cars at the mlli. There is a general behef in the industry, 

 however, that it does not pay to manufacture wood wool. It is only a 

 question of difference in " feed " at the machines. 



Woods Used and Annual Consixmption. 



Cottonwood, including the southern cottonwood and northern aspens 

 or popple, make up over one-half of the total supply of wood used for 

 excelsior in this country. Yellow pine comes next in order. The softer 

 and less resinous varieties of yellow pine, particularly loblolly pine, Vir- 

 ginia scrub pine and shortleaf pine, are used to a large extent in Vir- 

 ginia and Georgia. Basswood constitutes about 14 per cent of the total 

 supply and is manufactured throughout the Northeast and Lake States, 

 but particularly in New York, Wisconsin, New Hampshire and Michigan. 

 Other woods commonly used are willow, yellow poplar, white pine and 

 buckeye. In Washington the black cottonwood is used. All of these 

 woods are valuable for excelsior purposes on account of their soft wood, 

 straight grain and resilient fiber. Red gum, soft maple, spruce, chest- 

 nut, hemlock, white cedar and cypress are used to some extent. On 

 the Pacific coast, western yellow pine and Douglas fir are coming into 

 use for the manufacture of excelsior. 



The industry is scattered throughout the eastern part of the country. 

 New York has the largest number of manufacturing plants, namely 29, 

 but Wisconsin with 12 plants consumes the largest amount of wood 

 annually. Other leading states are Virginia, New Hampshire, Georgia 

 and Michigan. 



Government statistics for 191 1 show that during that year over 

 139,000 tons of excelsior were produced in 122 plants, which means that 

 the average plant produced about 1 1 50 tons annually. 



Over 142,000 cords of wood were consumed in 1911 for excelsior and 

 it is estimated that over 200,000 cords of wood are now used annually 

 for this purpose. 



MANUFACTURE 



Excelsior plants are located with reference to a good supply of raw 

 material and near the market with favorable shipping facilities. They 



