HARDWOOD RECORD 



Red Tone. Yellow Tod 



BIRCH •TRANSFORMED" BY A NEW PROCESS. 



Unfortunately the tree is comparatively 

 short lived; the heart is often inferior and is 

 used only in the cheaper grade of turned 

 novelties. Most of the stands near railroads 

 have been cut out, so that what remains is 

 difficult of access. In the case of this species, 

 as well as so many others, the decreasing sup- 

 ply is being felt and conservatism in its 

 use and substitution wherever possible must 

 be praetii-eil if the industries i.lependent upon 



it are to continue without inconvenience. 

 The tree illustration accompanying this 

 article and the tangential section of birch, 

 are from Hough 's Handbook of the Trees and 

 American Woods; the other two illustra- 

 tions were made from handsome specimens 

 of yellow birch which had first been put 

 through the wonderful "transforming" proc- 

 ess now practiced by the Publishers' Paper 

 Company of New York. 



Exports to Africa and the Orient, 



American manufacturers are thinking more 

 of export trade than ever before; some are 

 beginning to reach out to secure it; many 

 are expending large sums of money in ex- 

 periments upon it; and manufacturers in all 

 lines are regarding this subject with ever 

 increasing interest. Yet any conservative 

 business man who understands the manufac- 

 ture and marketing of his product in its 

 minutest details, and understands the domes- 

 tic trade most thoroughly should hesitate 

 considerably before undertaking to dispose of 

 it outside the home market. Selling goods 

 in other parts of the world usually involves 

 higher freight rates, different language, cus- 

 toms tariff, different commercial methods, 

 better packing, and with the lumber trade at 

 least, exceedingly long credits must be cheer- 

 fully extended. 



American manufacturers in all lines, owing 

 to the fact that their goods enter into strong 

 competition with those from other countries, 

 must of necessity put forth as much or more 

 effort in getting trade abroad as they do at 

 home; if they really wish to be successful 

 they must needs use every means and every 

 abroad that they do in the United 



States, possibly more. Because they have not 

 always done this, many a lumber manufac- 

 turer has stumbled over some or all of the 

 points mentioned, and has abandoned the ex- 

 port trade in disgust, if not with serious 

 financial loss. The United States consuls 

 in various parts of the world often encourage 

 the importation of lumber from this country, 

 where the manufacturer is able to meet the 

 very exacting demands and peculiarities of 

 the local trade. 



A recent rejjort from Smyrna says that the 

 houses of Asia Minor are generally built of 

 stone with a frame work of wood, which 

 would seem to preclude all opportunity for 

 introducing lumber products there, but on 

 the contrary there is a great consumption of 

 such fittings as door and window frames, 

 -blinds, staircase parts and balconies, all of 

 which are manufactured from imported lum- 

 ber. The variety used is a kind of pine im- 

 ported from Eoumania, which is light, knotty 

 and seldom seasoned, so that it invariably 

 proves unsatisfactory. Several years ago an 

 attempt was made to import doors and blinds 

 ready-made from Norway, but the experiment 

 (lid not prove a success, chiefly because the 



goods did not conform in size and style with 

 the requirements of local demand, and also 

 because little effort was made to push the 

 articles into popular favor. The consul at 

 Smyrna reports that there is undoubtedly an 

 opportunity there for the sale of fittings. 

 The very fact that the home-made product 

 IS so unsatisfactory on account of the poor 

 I'li'l'i- iis.^^l, would make it easier for im- 

 |"'ii.'l iiriirles to secure a foothold, if han- 

 dled energetically enough. Several condi- 

 tions must, however, be considered by the 

 American manufacturer of lumber products 

 who desires to start a trade in Asia Minor. 

 If he is not willing to devote the same atten- 

 tion and perseverance to it that he does at 

 home, and to study intelUgently the needs 

 of the market with a determination to event- 

 ually meet them satisfactorily, it would be 

 better for him to never take the matter up, 

 as failure through carelessness would only 

 tend to retard the importation of articles 

 which are bound to meet with eventual sue- 

 There is said to be at the present time a 

 growing field for the exporting of the 

 cheaper grades of American lumber into Mo- 

 rocco. In the accessible districts of that 

 country there is a total lack of timber, while 

 building is going on at a rapid rate, particu- 

 larly in Tangier, and much European timber 

 is used. Several shipments of American lum- 

 ber were sent to Tangier during the past few 

 years, and in all but one instance were ap- 

 parently most satisfactory as regards price, 

 quality, etc., so that the consul beUeves there 

 is no reason why American lumber exporters 

 should not be able to compete satisfactorily 

 with European dealers, and feels confident 

 that they would soon be in a position to sup- 

 ply the greater part of all lumber used there. 

 The demand for the better grades of hard- 

 wood is still small, but considerable hard- 

 wood flooring is imported; however, the lack 

 of direct transportation- faciUties between 

 this country and Morocco should receive close 

 attention from prospective exporters; but 

 with that one feature surmounted their suc- 

 cess would be assured. Former lumber ship- 

 ments have been sent over in foreign sailing 

 vessels visiting our ports, which were utilized 

 by lumbermen on their return trips; Tangier, 

 being at the very entrance to the Mediter- 

 ranean and but two and one-half hours from 

 the port of Gibraltar, is very accessible. 

 Spanish is the principal business language in 

 the coast towns, although EngUsh is largely 

 used and understood. One excellent point in 

 favor of the trade is that business in Mo- 

 rocco is usually carried on on a credit basis 

 of from only sixty to ninety days, so that 

 long time would not be required. Also most 

 firms can give excellent European references. 

 Several dealers in Capetown, South Africa, 

 prefer to buy the American lumber which 

 they order, through their London or New 

 York agents. One reason is that the agent is 

 able to make better arrangements regarding 

 freight rates, being where the chartering of 

 vessels naturally takes place. Another reason 



