9 BULLETIN 549, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
Five kinds of wood supplied over 81 per cent of the total number 
of ties reported purchased in 1915. These were the oaks, southern 
pine, Douglas fir, cedar, and chestnut. 
While there seems to be no trend toward the use of any one species, 
more oak was reported than any other kind of wood. This is doubt- 
less.due to the fact that oak has the requisite strength and hardness 
for ties and is available in many localities in large quantities. White 
oak is also desirable because of its durability, and red oak because 
satisfactory preservative treatment can be given it. Oak, including 
both red and white, supplied 49,333,881 ties, or 50.8 per cent of the 
total number reported purchased. 
Yellow pine was second in importance, contributing 14,115,681 
ties, or 13.43 per cent of the total number reported. This species is 
largely used because of its availability and cheapness, and, in the 
‘case of longleaf pine, its durability; the strength of longleaf pine 
adds to its desirability. Shortleaf and loblolly pine do not make 
altogether satisfactory ties, but are used largely because they are 
relatively cheap and take a satisfactory preservative treatment. 
TaBLE 1.—Number of crossties reported purchased, 1907 to 1911 and 1915, by kinds of 
wood. . 
Kind of wood. 1915 1911 1910 1909 1908 1907 
Allikinds.s.-.-2:.: 197,106, 651 | 135,053,000 | 148, 231,000 | 128, 751, 000 | 112, 466,000 | 153, 703, 000 
EUROS dal ale ale eae 49,333,881 | 59,508,000 | 68,382,000 | 57,132,000] 48,110,000 | 61, 757, 000 
Seer Rare Se RU 14,115,681 | 24,265,000 | 26,264,000 | 21,385,000 | 21,530,000} 34,215,000 
GT eI are eater Loe 6,950,910 | 11) 253,000 | 11,629/000 | 93067,000 | 7,988,000 | 14,525,000 
Cade ea een 5,122,103 | 8,015,000} 7,305,000 | 6,777,000 | 8,172,000] 8, 954. 000 
Chest isos ee 4,548,352 | 7,542,000} 7,760,000} 6,629,000] 8,074,000] 7,851,000 
Ceres ele. 4;478,612 | 5,857,000 | 5,396,000 | 4,589,000] 3,457,000] 6,780,000 
astern tamarack.....-.- 2,606,794 | 4)138,000 | 5,163,000] 3,311,000] 4,025,000 | 4,562; 000 
Western yellow pine..... 1, 402,836 | 2,696,000 | 4,612,000 | 6,797,000 | 3,093,000 | 5,019,000 
odgepole pine...--.-..-- Rew GeGonecoBesee ke cooe bal Sa24| Soe besouskeo | oeeeose -shoeclistcce sees - 
Western larch..........-- 1 O51 B04 ois Vhs soi el Me ee ie We ceed Sage oor cl a a 
eal: CaM ate ue na ' 1,173,490 | 1, 109, 000 798, 000 195, 000 192, 000 52, 000 
Maplelse wigan ai 1,069,547} 1,189,000 773, 000 158, 000 151,000, [eo ou Oe 
Hemlock) ces ska 859,662 | 3,686,000 | 3,468,000] 2,642,000 | 3,120,000] 2,367,000 
Rody coda weed aes 563,685 | 1,820,000} 2,165,000 | 2°088,000 871,000} 2, 032; 000 
Quine ee ean 485,405 | 1,298,000 | 1, 621, 000 378, 000 262, 000 15,000 
IBINCH Eee eee cee cate Uae 465, D eisc aye ek Bare Sed chat te ke a ek ee i Lee ee Pe 
INNO ooecsoascsapesce 1, 361, 694 2,682,000 | 2,895,000 2, 603, 000 3, 421, 000 5, 574, 000 
1 Mileage of railroads reporting ties represent 78.46 per cent of total mileage. Mileage represented for 
former years not obtainable. 
Individual quantities were not given for the number of western 
larch, lodgepole pine, and birch ties reported prior to 1915. It is 
probable that the figures for western yellow pine included those of 
lodgepole pine in former years. Larch might also have been tabu- 
lated with the tamarack statistics. In 1915 the number of lodgepole 
pine and western larch ties purchased was over a million each. 
Table 2 shows the number of crossties reported purchased by the 
steam railroads, electric railways, and light, heat, and power compa- 
nies. ‘The total number of crossties reported purchased during 1915 
by the steam railroads was 88,498,655, or 91.13 per cent of the total 
reported by all classes of purchasers. White and red oak and south- 
