22 BITLLETIX SS4 ? U. S. DEPARTMENT OE AGRICULTURE. 
Furniture and tobacco box factories afford a good market for 
sycamore lumber. They generally use 4 4 and 5 4 plain sycamore of 
the No. 1 common and better grades. Furniture factories generally 
use quartered stock. Manufacturers of cheap chairs can utilize low- 
grade lumber. They buy thick planks and use all grades except cull. 
Planing-mill, sash, door, blind, and general niillwork factories often 
use sycamore in the form of lumber. 
GRADING RULES. 
Sycamore lumber is graded under the National Hardwood Lumber 
Association Rules. There are separate classifications for plain and 
quartered sycamore. Lengths are from 4 to 16 feet, but not over 15 
per cent of odd lengths are admitted. Thicknesses are i, f , J 3 f , f, 1, 
11, i-1, If, 2, 2J, 3, 3*, 4, 4J, 5, 5J, and 6 inches. Widths are 3 inches 
and over. 
Plain sycamore is graded under the same rules as beech, birch, hard 
maple, and hackberry. and the grades are as follows: Firsts, seconds, 
selects, Xo. 1 common, Xo. 2 common, wormy, and Xo. 3 common. 
Inspection is made on the poor side of each piece. Firsts are 6 inches 
and over wide, 8 feet and over long, and pieces with 4 to 9 feet surf ace 
measure must be clear. Larger pieces can have one or two standard 
defects, depending on the size of the piece. Seconds are 6 inches and 
over wide, 8 feet and over long, and can have from one to five standard 
defects according to size of the piece. Firsts and seconds are gener- 
ally combined as one grade and designated as "FAS." In this com- 
bined grade not more than 20 per cent of the pieces can be under 12 
feet long and not more than 10 per cent of S and 9 foot lengths are 
allowed. Selects are 4 inches and over wide. 6 feet and over long, 
admitting 30 per cent under 12 feet long and 5 per cent of 6 and 7 foot 
lengths. In general, pieces in this grade must be practically or 
nearly clear on the best face and the reverse side must be up to the 
Xo. 1 common grade. Xo. 1 commons are 3 inches and over wide, 
with not to exceed 5 per cent of 3 -inch widths, and 4 feet and over 
long, with not over 30 per cent shorter than 10 feet and not to exceed 
10 per cent of 4 and 5 feet lengths. Pieces 4 and 5 feet long, and 3 
and 4 inches wide 6 and 7 feet long must be clear. Larger pieces 
must work 66-J per cent clear face in not over 2. 3. or 4 cuttings de- 
pending on width and length of piece with specified minimum sizes 
of cuttings. Xo. 2 commons are 3 inches and over wide. 4 feet and 
over long, with not more than 10 per cent of 4 and 5 feet lengths 
admitted. Pieces must work 50 per cent clear face in not over 3. 4. 
or 5 cuttings (not less than 3 inches wide and 2 feet long • according to 
size of piece. In wormy grade pin-worm holes are not considered a 
defect, and it is a combination of all grades included in Xo. 2 common 
and better. Xo. 3 commons are 3 inches and over wide. 4 feet and 
over long, and each piece must contain at least 25 per cent of sound 
cuttings of a minimum width of 1J inches and a minimum area of 36 
square inches. 
