USES OF COM]NrERClAL WOODS. 15 



VEHICLES. 



In its importance as a vehicle wood, sweet birch ranks mtich below 

 tlie hickories and some of the oaks, but it fills a nimiber of places. 

 It is well suited for panels, sometimes solid and sometimes of built-up 

 veneers, which find place in fine carriage and automobile bodies. 

 Passenger and sleeping car builders also use birch for paneling. 

 Automobile manufacturers have found several places for sweet birch. 

 It goe^ into seat frames, floors, filler boards, dashboards, tops, dash- 

 board frames, and steering wheels. It fills some of these places 

 because it is strong and '^tiff: others because it is handsome. In 

 either case only the highest grade is employed. Some sweet birch is 

 made into hubs, but it is not in the same class as elm and oak for this 

 purpose. It is sometimes seen in the hubs of light carts and buggies. 

 For children's sleds and wagons birch is one of the available woods. 



FLOORING AND FINISH. 



Sweet birch ir- a satisfactory wood for flooring, whether the pur- 

 pose is ornament or long service or both. The wood is handsome, 

 it stands well when thoroughly seasoned, and it lasts a long time. 

 Large quantities of this flooring are made in the Lake States and it 

 finds service in houses of the better class in practically all of the 

 Eastern and some of the Western States. A smaller amount is manu- 

 factured into 2:)arquet floors and into wood carpet. The dark heart- 

 wood is much valued for the last-named commodities, because it forms 

 pleasing contrasts with woods of lighter color. 



Ornamental columns of sweet birch find place indoors. Xewel 

 posts of the same wood and the associated rails, spindles, and steps 

 of stairways belong in the same class, along with brackets, capitals, 

 chairboards, moldings, grills, and mantels. Window frames, door 

 frames, and blinds of birch are exquisite finish when a dark, rich 

 effect is desired. Birch doors are a special article — that is. particular 

 pains are taken to finish them in the most attractive style, after select- 

 ing choice material. Curly birch is often seen to best advantage in 

 tliis class of work. The wavy grains and figures are matched in the 

 panels, stiles, rails, and mullions. The curly wood is frequently cut 

 into veneer for the double purpose of making it go farther and 

 securing Ijetter seasoning. It is not uncommon to equip birch dooi*s 

 with knobs of the same wood. ^lany l:)irch knobs, however, are used 

 elsewhere than on doors ; furniture makers find many places for them. 

 Ceiling is little less important than flooring in the quantity of birch 

 used. A considerable amount of the birch ceiling listed is intended 

 for porches. The wood shows to good advantage in wainscoting, 

 where the dark wood of the heart is sometimes alternated with a 

 white wood such as maple. Floors and ceilings are often made in 

 the same way. 



