18 SECOND-GROWTH HARDWOODS IN CONNECTICUT. 



on only two sides they contain about 37.7 board feet, and run about 

 26.5 to the thousand. They bring 72 cents apiece, a price, assuming 

 them to contain an average of 40 board feet, equivalent to $18 per 

 thousand. 



Switch timbers must be of chestnut and be sawed on all four sides. 

 In 8-foot lengths they would be identical with 7 by 9 inch ties sawed 

 on all four sides. They are purchased by the thousand board feet 

 and must be loaded on cars and invoiced like ordinary lumber. At 

 present their usual price is $20 per thousand board feet. 



POLES. 



A fairly steady market for poles is offered by telephone, telegraph, 

 and electric power companies. Poles must be of sound, well-propor- 

 tioned chestnut, reasonably straight, without unsound knots, and 

 with all knots trimmed close. They are purchased on the basis of 

 length up to a circumference of 22 inches (diameter of 7 inches) and 

 must conform to the specified circumference from 5 to 6 feet from the 

 butt. Some of the pole-using companies publish price lists for poles 

 of specified sizes, while others arrange prices with individual owners 

 or contractors. 



The prices offered for poles vary considerably from year to year. 

 Between 1906 and 1909 the average price paid for poles by one com- 

 pany showed a steady increase of 35 per cent. The average prices 

 paid for poles of different lengths by this company in 1909 were 

 approximately as follows: 



35 feet long $4.10' 



40 feet long 5. 30 



45 feet lono: 6. 90 



50 feet long $9.00 



55 feet long. . . 12. 10 



60 feet long 15.00 



20 feet long $1.20 



25 feet long 1.90 



30 feet long :.. 3.00 



It is probable that over 90 per cent of all poles used in the State are 

 under 40 feet in length. Contractors often obtain poles for prices 

 considerably less than those just quoted, especially in localities 

 which, in the owner's opinion, are too far from market to make other 

 kinds of logging profitable, but where the poles can be delivered along 

 trunk lines close to the woods with but a short haul. Thus, 35-foot 

 poles are sometimes sold for from $2.20 to $1.75, or even less. In 

 some places $1.50 is considered a standard price for a 25-foot pole, 

 and $1 is added for every 5 feet in addition up to 40 or 45 feet. At 

 Putnam, in the northeastern part of the State, the price of poles 

 delivered ranges about as follows: 



40 feet long $4. 25 to $5. 00 



45 feet long 5. 75 to 6.50 



25 feet long $1. 00 to $2. 00 



30 feet long 2. 25 to 3.00 



35 feet long 3. 25 to 4.00 



In this report the prices first quoted will be used, since they rep- 

 resent a fair average of the maximum prices prevailing at present. 



