flaMtfol RocoM 



Published in the Interest of HsLrdwood Lumber, AmerlcaLn Ha^rdwood Forests, Wood Veneer Industry, Hai.rdwood Flooring, 

 Haj-dwood Interior Finish, Wood CKerT\lca.ls, Sblw Mill a-nd Woodworking Mai.chlnery. 



Vol. XXVI. 



CHICAGO. JULY 25, 1908. 



No. 7 



Published on the 10th and 25th o[ each month by 



THE HARDWOOD COMPANY 



HENRY H. GIBSON. Ed.ior. EDGAR H. DEFEBAUGH. M.n.ger. 



7th Floor, Ellsworth BIdg., 355 Dearborn St.. Chicago, III., U.S.A. 



Telephone Harrison 4960 

 REPRESENTATIVES 



Philadelphia ..... Jacob Hollzman. 916 Rothschild Buildiol 



Piltsburi H. A. Lane. 906 Wabash Building 



H. A 

 F. M.CIuller.335Dei 



. Chic 



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Entered as second class matter May 26, 1902, at the Po 

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publication dale. Advertising ra.tes on applica-tion. 



General Market Conditions. 



The features in the hardwood trade of the last fortnight have been 

 liberal buying on the part of the furniture trade of the middle West, 

 and a considerable resumption of railroad business in the same sec- 

 ticn. The improved buying conditions in this section, while not put- 

 ting the market back to normal condition, have all approximated that 

 ilo«ideratum. In the East slowly improving conditions are reported 

 from all trade centers, but even with this resumption the volume 

 of business is only a modicum of what it should be to compare favor- 

 al.ily vdth sections further west. The center of buying seems to be 

 C'l ieago, although factories of southern Wisconsin, southern Michi- 

 gan, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio have all been participating in the buy- 

 ing movement. The policy of the furniture manufacturers in guaran- 

 teeing prices to December 1, 1908, has had a very stimulating effect 

 on fuiniture sales, and those made thus early in the July season 

 have already outstripped the entire movement in January. 



Xothing but improved conditions can be expected from the pres- 

 <>ut situation. The railroads are stripped of the lumber necessary 

 to carry on even repair work on their freight ears, ta say nothing 

 about general betterment of their lines. The retail furniture men's 

 stocks of goods have been reduced to the very minimum. Lumber 

 in the hands of furniture manufacturers has been worked down to the 

 foundations, and thus even moderate resumption means a cleaning 

 out of practically all the dry stock in the hands of manufacturers. 

 Therefore, with very light stocks in first hands there surely will be a 

 scramble for hardwood lumber of all kinds before many weeks. 



Specifically, the good end of poplar still ranges relatively the 

 highest in price of any of the hardwoods, with quarter-sawn oak 

 a close second. First and seconds plain oak is recei\-ing a good deal 

 of attention and commanding a fair price. The recent sales of 

 common oak in the furniture trade will materially strengthen this 

 grade. All the northern woods are doing fairly well, with basswood 

 in the lead. 



T'n.ieniably the hardwood trade is over the "bad place in the 

 ror.d," and from now forward can look for very fair conditions. 



Why Not Assist. 



The howl which is continually coming from certain directions, 

 notably Colorado, that the national forests of the United States 

 are handled ' ' at the expense of our western people through the 

 imposition of taxes for lumber, grazing, rights of way, firewood 

 and multitudinous special uses" would be supplemented by the 

 strenuous objections of timber owners should this government 

 attempt to put into practice such stringent regulations as does 

 Prance toward private individuals. The handling of the national 

 forests is, however, another matter, and there is certainly no rea- 

 son why the very small proportion of the country's inhabitants 

 who dwell near them should expect to avail themselves of fa- 

 cilities belonging to all. Forestry and Irrigation, in commenting 

 upon this ridiculous attitude of some western districts if near- 

 by residents are to be allowed to overrun the forests at their 

 pleasure, says that consistency would require the same policy to 

 he applied to our other properties. Our eighty million people own 

 sundry battleships; why not permit certain individuals living near 

 the waters where these vessels ride at anchor to use them gratui- 

 tously as private yachts? The eighty millions own an ocean cable 

 in Alaskan waters; why not donate its free use to the few In- 

 dians and Americans who live near its termini? Surely this 

 would be just as reasonable, and although it seems that the ma- 

 jority of the people are now waking up to the fact that there 

 must be "something doing" very shortly if our forests are to 

 be preserved and increased, there is always the few who not only 

 do nothing to assist progress, but who drag back and. complain 

 rather than render even passive approval of the government's 

 efforts. 



A western forest commission recently sought information from 

 France as to how that government has succeeded in inducing in- 

 dividuals to practice forestry, and the financial results of proper 

 methods applied to poor lands. It found that France has adopted 

 the onh- solution of the reforestry problem by exempting cleared 

 lands upon summits and mountain sides, dunes and moors from 

 all taxation for thirty years, and exempting also all other lands 

 which individuals may replant to the extent of three-fourths of 

 the ordinary tax rate during a like period. In addition, the gov- 

 ernment gives every possible aid to private persons, based upon 

 the importance of the work proposed or accomplished, such sub- 

 ventions being in the form of seeds, plants, labor, etc. 



It supplements exemption, however, by strict regulations and 

 assumes considerable authority over existing forests privately 

 owned. For instance, certain legislation declares that no private 

 property owner may exercise the right to uproot trees or clear 

 wooded lands except after having declared such intention at the 

 Under-Prefecture, at least four months in advance, during which 

 time the administration may signify to such proprietor its op- 

 position, if any, to the proposed work. Before signification of 

 such opposition an inspector examines the condition and situa- 

 tion of the wood and prepares a detailed report, which is pre- 

 sented to the party at interest, with an invitation to refute the 

 opposition. The prefect then gives his opinion upon the opposi- 

 tion, which is forwarded to the forest agent of the district in 

 which the tinnier is located, and to the owner of the wood; it is 

 also transmitted to the minister of finance, who pronounces ad- 



