USES OF COMMEKCIAL WOODS. 17 



saAvmills. The most freciuent objections against sweet birch as box 

 lumber and crating material are that it is hard to nail and is inclined 

 to split. 



Apple wood, beech, and sweet birch are important woods for hand- 

 saw and plane handles. 



It is demanded by manufacturers for tackle blocks, for carpenters' 

 and sheet -metal workers' benches, and for frames for boring machines. 

 In the manufacture of agricultural implements it has a wide range of 

 uses, serving as frames, braces, chutes, hoppers, pitmans. seats, seed 

 boxes, and in numerous other places where strong, stiff, and service- 

 able wood is wanted. 



It is popular for picture frames where a dark wood is desired, and 

 it gives wide service when made into molding for interior finish and 

 decoration. Trunk and suit-case makers manufacture it into slats 

 and veneer, the latter in thicknesses of three or more ply. Another 

 place where it gives good service is for canes and umbrella handles. 

 The same wood is often preferred for blue-print frames and is spe- 

 cially well liked for frames of large cameras. It is seen in tripods, 

 and it is also made into parts of surveyors' and draftsmen's instru- 

 ments and tools. 



Slack coopers press this wood into service with many others, and 

 it goes to market as barrels and kegs. It is given a little l>etter place 

 by woodenware manufacturers, who make tubs and kits of it which 

 are not meant to be thrown away when once used. It appears also in 

 commodities of another class — thin platters of veneer, picnic plates, 

 and butter dishes. Sweet birch, however, is not so well liked for 

 these articles as are yellow and paper birch, maple, and beech. 



Fixtures for offices, stores, banks, bars, and hotels require many 

 high-grade woods, and sweet birch is in the list with Avalnut. cedar, 

 mahogany, oak, cherry, and others. Among the places in which birch 

 is found are counter and bar tops, standing desks for bookkeepers, 

 partitions, cabinets for drugs or other merchandise, show cases, dis- 

 play tables and racks, shelves, and grille work, cold-storage rooms, 

 refrigerators, and soda fountains. 



An increasing demand for sweet birch comes from makers of 

 coffins and caskets. Perhaps it is oftener displayed as mahogany 

 than under its own name. 



DISTILLATION. 



Sweet birch is one of the most important Avoods which contribute 

 to the hardwood distillation industry described in this bulletin under 

 beech. This process is important because it turns waste into profit, 

 and utilizes portions of trees and mill refuse which otherwise would 

 be lost. 



6534°— Bull. 12—13 3 



