tion for the sale of wood materials. For these reasons the district of Briansk will be the principal centre of the wood enterprise. At present there are three steam and one water power sawmills: two of them are not specially for sawing, but they can be applied to that purpose — principally they are for grinding corn. On the principal of these fabrics the sawing apparatus is for two frames each of 10 saws; and for cutting off the edge there is a large saw. At the other mill there are 40 saws; here they make the same sorts of timber as at the first. At the third mill there are 50 saws; and the sawmill worked by water has 44 saws in 4 frames. The total number of logs sawn in these mills is about 50,000, for the most part not longer than 3 fathoms, with a thickness of from 6 to 12 vershocks. Boards are prepared of 1 J to 2 vershocks thick, and 7, 8, and 9 archines long; and deals of f vershocks thick. The produce is floated down the Dwina to the southern governments, or sent by cartage to the parts destitute of wood in the governments of Kursk and Orel. With the opening of the railway the produce will be sent principally by rail to Orel and Kursk. The existence of sawmills, and the exhaustion of neighbouring private forests, draws attention to the crown forests; and the opening demand for wood leads to the conclusion that it should not be offered in greater quantity than the demand. At the fore mentioned sawmills the prices for boards are —
9 archines long, and 2 vershocks thick, 60 kopecs.
'The average width of these sorts is 6 vershocks; when wider 12 kopecs is added for each vershock, so that up to
12 vershocks the addition will be 72 kopecs, that is a board of 9 archines long, 12 vershocks broad, and 2 vershocks thick, will be worth 132 kopecs, and if there be a demand, 150 kopecs. The floatage to Kiev for 100 boards is 3 roubles 50 kopecs, or 3J kopecs per board; the floatage of deals half that charge. To Krementchug the floatage is per board, 4 J kopecs; per deal, 2 £ kopecs. On the rafts to Kiev the labourer receives 30 roubles; on ships the captain gets 50 roubles, and the, labourer 20 roubles; to Kherson tho captain gets 80 roubles, and the labourer 30 roubles. The cost per pood is to Kiev 12 kopecs, to Krementchug 16 kopecs, to Kherson 20 kopecs. Formerly the prices were not so high, the demand for labourers for railways have raised the prices; and with the completion of these it is expected the prices will fall 3 to 5 kopecs per pood. With the transport by land the expenses are 10 to 25 kopecs per board and deal, according to size, which decides the weight, and consequently the number on each cart.
' In Briansk there are 20 brickworks, and fuel costs there about 550 kopecs; but the general quantity of wood used in these works will barely amount to a few cubic fathoms. Glass and crystal fabriques are very common; and the quantity of potash brought for them from Nijni-Novgorod amounts to 30,000 poods. If the wood dealers of the governments of Moghilev, Minsk, and Volhinia, were to direct their attention to this then the great remnants of oak would not be removed in the clearings to their detriment, but would bring in a pretty considerable income. The total amount of firewood used in these fabriques is about 75,000 cubic fathoms. In the distiict of Briansk there is an iron foundry remarkable for this, that the charcoal required for it is made in stoves, and consequently is prepared with the greatest economy, which is a rare thing in our fabriques.
' Besides these fabriques there are sugar, brandy, and other fabriques requiring fuel. With the completion of the railway the activity of these fabriques will increase, and consequently the consumption of fuel will considerably increase, and likewise the income from the crown forests on the Dwina and its confluents.
' In the Karatchev district is a cooper fabrique worthy of notice, in which they use 1000 heaps of bands for casks, and about 30,000 hoops. 1000 hoops is worth 13 roubles; a heap costs about 3 roubles, and is generally supplied by land in the districts of Klimovitch of the Moghileff government, and Roslave of the Smolensk government. The manufacture of these bands costs on the spot 175 kopecs for 100 pieces of 3 archines long; of 2J archines long 1 rouble for 100 pieces; 1 \ archines, 80 kopecs; and 18 vershocks, 50 kopecs per 100, according to length of band, and the number used for a cask, tub, or barrel (from 10 to 26 hoops); the produce is sold from 6 roubles to 240 kopecs, and from \\ roubles to 2 roubles. In all there are manufactured about 3000 pieces, principally tubs are prepared, which are sold on market days in the district of Orel; sometimes they get orders from brandy fabriques.