USES OF COMMERCIAL WOODS. liO 



importance, driven because of its liardiie>s and smoothness, was in 

 the homemade spinning wheels found in most pioneer cabins where 

 flax was spun. These were known as " little Avheels " to distinguish 

 them from the ** big wheels " employed almost exclusively in spinning 

 wool. The reel, a companion piece to the spinning wheel, generally 

 had maple for the crosspiece on which the thread was wound. 



Tlie old-fashioned shoemaker fastened his soles witli maple pegs 

 when he could not get pegs of paper birch. Before they were split 

 and pointed by machinery he whittled them by hand. Lasts of 

 maple were the usual thing, though other woods answered very well. 



Maple saddletrees were part of the stock in trade of most saddle 

 makers in pioneer times, as at present. The millwright made his 

 cogwheels then, and the teeth of the homemade pinions and trundle- 

 heads were frequently of maple, provided they were not to be ex- 

 posed to dampness. Maple filled a number of places in early ship- 

 building, though it was of less miportance than some other timbers. 

 Maple knees, keels, and keelsons are mentioned in shipyard supplies. 

 Maple broom handles were in use nearly a century ago, and their 

 handsome appearance and the good service they gave were subject 

 of special mention. 



Maple has been a furniture material ever since furniture has been 

 made in this country. Chair makeii^i seem to have been among the 

 first to discover its good qualities. When mahogany was the fashion- 

 able furniture wood curly maple w\as a choice inlay. It is not un- 

 usual to find antique pieces of rare beauty and generations old. The 

 white wood contrasts well with the darker mahogany. Sometime^ 

 sugar maple was used, sometimes red maple. 



Maple lumber in earh^ times w^as not much used for Ijuilding pur- 

 [joses. An occasional exception w^as found in kitchen floors. The 

 boards were from inches to a foot wide, w^ore smooth, and became 

 very hard. Service was what was w^anted, and maple gave it. 



Wooden dishes were comparative^ more common in the years 

 succeeding the earliest settlement of the country than they are now. 

 I>ecause then many persons were under the necessity of making nearly 

 all of their household articles. John Lawson, whose writings were 

 published in 1714. gives maple a place of honor as material of whicli 

 '• dishes, trenchers, and spinning wheels *' were made in the Carolinas. 



It was among the earliest of the hardwoods exported, and special 

 mention is made of its use at Keighley, England, in the manufacture 

 of washing machines and mangles.^ 



The Iroquois Indians of New York made paddles, spoons, and 

 ladles of sugar maple. The only recorded attempt of the American 

 Indians in manufacturing and employing cannon to attack forts 

 occurred during the siege of Fort Henry (now Wheeling, W. Va.) 



1 Thf Trees of Commerce, William Stevenson, edition lOOS. 



