74 



rOEEST CONDITION'S IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. 



"screw boxes" which are used over an iron pin. These can be made 

 much more cheaply than locust pins, and are, in many cases, displacing 

 them. 



Locust pins 18 inches long, 2 inches by 2 inches, bring $7 per thou- 

 sand at the yard, whereas oak pins 18 inches long, 1 1-2 inches 

 by 1 1-2 inches are delivered at the mill for $3. Table 8 shows that 

 pins were cut in only three counties during 1909. 



SHINGLES. 



Shingles are cut only for local consumption, and very few find their 

 way into the open market. Shaved shingles, and, to a large extent, 

 split shingles, have been superseded by sawed shingles. These are often 

 made by the small custom sawmill, though some mills cut nothing but 

 shingles, and others confine themselves to the manufacture of shingles 

 and laths. Some sawmills cut up their cull lumber, for which there is 

 little sale, into shingles, which sell readily at the mill for $3 to $3.25 

 per thousand. Shingles are, however, usually cut from blocks, which 

 are sections of logs the length of the shingle. White pine and yellow 

 pine are preferred where these woods are available, though the larger 

 proportion cut in this region are of chestnut and the various kinds of 

 oak. Table 8 gives the approximate number of shingles cut in the 

 various counties in 1909. It also gives under "Miscellaneous Products" 

 the output of timber for several small industries during the same 

 period. 



MISCELLANEOUS PRODUCTS. 



The manufacture of hickory handles is on a small scale, due largely 

 to the scarcity of suitable timber. The requirements as to quality are 

 still so exacting that little old growth timber can be used, and second 

 growth is scarce, especially in the better forested counties. A price 

 equivalent to from $25 to $35 per thousand feet board measure is paid 

 for suitable stuff. Hickory timber is usually neglected in lumbering 

 operations, because the rigid inspection keeps down the profit. 



Along the Murphy Branch a few small logs are cut and shipped to 

 Bryson City for manufacture into porch columns and pump logs. Pop- 

 lar, linn, cucumber, bellwood, sourwood, sassafras, and sweet gum are 

 used. Logs vary in length from 6 to 10 feet. Prices range from 3 3-4 

 cents per running foot for 8-inch logs to 7 cents for 11-inch logs. Logs 

 over eleven inches bring from $10 to $12 per thousand feet log scale. 



The turning of howls from poplar blocks is a small industry. The 

 blocks are made by cutting the logs into sections the length of the 

 diameter of the log and then splitting them in half. In this form they 



