RED ALDER OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST 25 
Shade and map rollers. — Red alder would serve well for curtain 
poles and window-shade and map rollers. It is especially suitable 
for curtain poles, because it works easily and because of the ease 
and permanence with which it takes paint or stain. 
Pulleys. — Because it is light in weight, has good gluing qualities, 
holds nails well without splitting, and does not shrink, swell, or 
warp perceptibly, red alder has been used for the rims of wooden 
pulleys. It is well adapted for use in the construction of buffer 
wheels, such as are used for polishing metals, glass, etc., because it 
is fine-grained and holds the polishing materials well. 
Spools, reels, and bobbins. — The properties of alder seemingly fit 
it for spools, reels, bobbins, and spindles, and actual tests suggest 
that it will satisfactorily serve these purposes. 
Toys. — That practically no alder is used in the manufacture of 
toys is due to the fact that there is no toy industry in the Pacific 
northwest or near the source of alder supply. Its good working, 
staying, and finishing qualities recommend it for this use. It is 
somewhat stronger than basswood, and in every other way the equal 
of this principal toy wood in the United States, both for toys made 
entirely of wood and for wooden parts of .metal toys. Without 
doubt red alder is admirably suited, entirely or in part, for all 
classes of toys not requiring exceptional strength, such as the fol- 
lowing: Wagons, buggies, automobiles, wheelbarrows, hobbyhorses, 
toy animals of various kinds, toy pianos, doll houses, toy furniture, 
cannon, gun stocks, blocks, dominoes, checkers, puzzles and wooden 
doUs. 
METHODS OF LUMBERING 
Because of the scattered character of the stand, with consequent 
small logging units, and uncertainties in demand and price, the log- 
ging and milling of alder has been conducted on a small scale, and 
in the main has not proved a steady or lucrative business. As would 
be expected under such conditions, the industry is marked by an 
absence of specialization and high-class management, such as are 
found in the softwood industry of the region. Operators usually 
are men of small means. Xot infrequently they are relatively inex- 
perienced. Manufacturing equipment is simple and often seemingly 
inadequate. 
LOGGING 
The joblike character of the industry is especially noticeable in 
logging. Many of the operators are ranchers who engage intermit- 
tently in the logging of alder as a side line during the slack season. 
Independent loggers of this general character usually furnish the 
logs for the more distant alder mills at a price ranging from $15 
to S22 per thousand feet. The cost of felling, bucking, and mov- 
ing the logs to a railroad, paved highway, or towable stream, runs 
from $6 to $10 per thousand. Only in a few cases do mill owners 
engage in logging, although, in order to provide a regular and satis- 
factory supply of logs they sometimes finance logging operators. 
Where mill operators own stumpage near the mill, the usual prac- 
tice is to contract the logging, generally at $6 per thousand feet laid 
down at the mill. 
