47 



THE ASHES. 



Ash is one of the most widely distributed of the North American trees. 

 It ranges from the Rocky Mountain states eastward through every state but 

 Maine, and the fact that 606 Pennsylvania sawmills in 1912 reported cutting 

 this wood, indicates that the tree is also well distributed throughout this 

 State. Manufacturers do not distinguish the species for particular uses but, 

 like the oaks, they separate them into classes, white ash and black ash. 

 In Pennsylvania the white ash (Fraxinus americana) and black ash (Fraxinus 

 nigra) are the most important commercial species of ash growing within the 

 State and they make up the bulk of the material which the Pennsylvania 

 manufacturers consume. The white ash is one ^f Pennsylvania's valuable 

 hardwoods. It possesses a coarse, straight grain, fine texture, is moderately 

 hard and strong, besides being rather resilient and tough. However, it lacks 

 durability. The manufacture of vehicle parts, handles, agricultural imple- 

 ments, boats, sporting goods, and framework of various kinds where the 

 qualities of strength and toughness are desired call principally for white ash, 

 both in Pennsylvania and the country at large. 



The uses of black ash are quite different from those of the white ash be- 

 cause of its different qualities. It is much softer, not as strong or as elastic, 

 and is more durable. Black ash has a pronounced attractive figure and is 

 more desirable for decorative work. It is, therefore, called on to meet 

 large demands for interior finish of houses, railroad and trolley cars. The 

 lack of taste and odor makes ash valuable for containers of foodstuffs, such 

 as butter tubs, woodenware, flour barrels, and boxes of various kinds. Only 

 forty-six per cent, of the ash going into further manufacture was State- 

 grown, in spite of the fact that the lumber cut exceeded by over 4,000,000 

 feet the amount of home-grown material used. 



Table 30. — Consumption of Ash, year ending June, 1912. 



Industry. 













Grown in 



Grown Out 





Quantity. 





o 



Pennsyl- 



of Penn- 











rt 



vania. 



sylvania. 



















Feet b. ra. 



I'er cent. 



Average cost per 

 at factory. 



Total cost f. 0. b. 



Feet b. m. 



Feet b. m. 



Car construction, , 



Vehicles and vehicle parts. . 



Handles, 



Planing mill products , 



Woodenware and novelties, — 



Agricultural implements, 



Dairymen's, poulterers' and api 



arists' supplies 



Ship and boat building, 



Toys 



Furniture, 



Plumbers' woodwork 



Chairs and chair stock, 



Saddles and harness, , 



Elevators, 



Trunks and valises 



Machine construction, 



Equipment, playground 



Boxes and crates, packing. . 



Fixtures, 



Mine equipment, ,,, , 



4,396,915 

 3,590,472 

 1,969,750 

 791,315 

 634,500 



30.74 

 25.10 

 13.77 

 5.53 

 4.43 



$56 70 

 44 16 

 28 45 

 51 89 

 30 67 



$249,311 

 158,564 

 56,032 

 41,062 

 19,462 



933,908 

 2,096,204 

 1,130,750 

 533,165 

 259,500 



3,463,007 

 1,494,268 

 839,000 

 258,150 

 375,000 



599,100 



4.19 



38 73 



23,202 



103,100 



496,000 



400,000 

 388,700 

 320,000 

 175,500 



2.80 

 2.72 

 2.24 

 1.23 



15 00 



41 47 



42 03 

 28 43 



6,000 

 16,118 

 13,450 



4,989 



395,000 

 262,700 

 182,500 

 82,500 



5,000 

 126,000 

 137,500 

 93,000 



110,000 



.77 



34 00 



3,740 





110,000 

 67.000 

 24,000 

 49,400 



104,300 

 100,000 

 93,000 

 87,500 



.73 

 .70 

 .65 

 .61 



24 54 

 44 80 

 71 17 

 36 42 



2.559 

 4,480 

 6,619 

 3,187 



37,300 

 76,000 

 43,600 

 87,500 



83,000 

 75,000 

 54,200 

 49,900 

 43,425 



.58 

 .53 

 .38 

 .35 

 .30 



44 88 

 33 00 

 23 51 

 58 62 

 22.01 



3,725 

 2,475 

 1,274 

 2,925 

 956 



5,000 

 37,500 

 53,500 

 41,000 

 43,425 



78,000 

 37,500 

 700 

 S,90O 



