FOREST RESOURCES 19 
stands runninp; from 3000 to 8000 feet per acre. Paper birch 
(Betula papyrifera) in Maine averages about two cords, with a 
maximum of fifty cords per acre. 
The yellow birch {B. liitea) and sweet birch (B. lento) are used 
chiefly for furniture, vehicle hubs, tool handles, flooring, interior 
finish, veneers, cooperage, spool stock and novelties. The paper 
birch of Maine is used chiefly for spool stock, shoe pegs and 
shanks, toothpicks and novelty work. 
The lumber cut of birch in 1920 was 405,000,000 board feet. 
Basswood. — This tree (Tilia americana) is associated with 
hemlock and other hardwoods in the northern and Appalachian 
forests. It is manufactured extensively into siding, rotary-cut 
veneer, car lining, heading, excelsior, baskets, slack cooperage, 
furniture backs, carriage bodies, and pulpwood. Although not 
durable it is one of the more valuable hardwoods because of its 
light weight, and the odorless character of the wood. 
The lumber cut in 1920 was 195,000,000 feet. The chief 
center of manufacture is Wisconsin where nearly 40 per cent of 
the total output is produced. 
Hickory. — The present conmiercial stands of hickory are 
found in the Appalachian and the Mississippi river regions. 
There are four species of commercial importance, namely, the 
big shellbark (Hicoria laciniosa), the shagbark {H. ovata), the 
pignut {H. glabra) and the mockernut {H. alba). The strongest 
and toughest one is the pignut, although the shagbark is but 
slightly inferior to it. The big shellbark is of medium quality 
only, while the mockernut is lacking in toughness, although it 
is strong. 
The manufacture of hickory lumber centers in Arkansas, Ten- 
nessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Indiana and Mississippi. These 
States now produce about 72 per cent of the total cut. 
Hickory occurs singly among other hardwoods. The stands 
over large areas frequently range from 200 to 400 board feet 
per acre. 
About 65 per cent of the hickory cut is used for vehicle stock, 
10 per cent for tool handles, 9 per cent for heavy wagons, 8 per 
cent for agricultural implements, and the remainder for novelties 
of various kinds. About 1,000,000 cords are used annually for 
fuel. Saplings are sometimes split into barrel hoops, but this 
practice is less common than formerly. 
