much stock in advance of the demand. 

 They used to consider that it took one year 

 to the inch to season stock when piled on 

 the yard in open air. 



White pine is graded differently in the 

 different markets. It really is not neces- 

 sary to give you a detailed description of 

 all of the grades, but I will give an ex- 

 planation which will be sufficient for your 

 requirements. Lumber cut in Wisconsin 

 and Minnesota is marketed largely in Kan- 

 sas, Wisconsin and west of those states and 

 is cut thinner than stock required in the 

 East. Stock cut in Michigan, Pennsylvania 

 and Canada, and the northern part of Wis- 

 consin, is much thicker and runs at least 

 ten percent better in grade than from other 

 localities. 



Canadian stock, used largely for the for- 

 eign markets, is cut into what is called 

 "deals," which are 3 inches thick and from 

 9 inches to 20 inches wide. This stock is 

 exported and resawed at destination into 

 such thicknesses less than 3 inches as are 

 required. The remaining portions of the 

 log after cutting the deals is called "sid- 

 ings" and while nearly clear, are mostly 

 sap wood. These are cut up for domestic 

 use. 



Here our grades are as follows: 

 The best grade is known as "uppers," 

 which are generally cut into tuick lumber 

 and are practically perfect, free from sap, 

 shakes, knots and other imperfections, ac- 

 cording to the width. The wider the lum- 

 ber the more imperfections allowed and the 

 narrower the lumber, the better it must be 

 in each grade. 



The next grade is "selects," which will 

 admit of some little bright sap, now and 

 then a small pin knot, but must be free 

 from shake, rot and other imperfections. 



Then ' ' fine common, ' ' which allows con- 

 siderable clear bright sap or small pin knots 

 and occasionally, iri the absence of these 

 defects, a little fine shake. 



Then three grades of "cutting up" — 

 Nos. 1, 2 and 3, used largely for manufac- 

 turing purposes, for sash, blinds, doors, 

 etc. 



Next ' ' dressing and shelving ' ' which is a 

 small, sound knotted board, with clear edges; 

 one that can be used for a thousand and one 

 places where stock is to be painted, such as 

 cornice work and interior finish. 



Next "No. 1 barn" which is a board but 

 little poorer than the shelving, with at least 

 one good edge. 



Then ' ' No. 2 and No. 3 barn ' ' which are 

 sound, whole boards, with plenty of knots, 

 some little shake and perhaps a split. This 

 is used largely for under flooring, sheathing, 

 fencing and for a variety of purposes where 

 a whole, sound board is wanted. 



Last is the grade of ' ' box ' ' which may 

 contain any amount of knots, some little rot, 

 some shake, etc., and is about the lowest 

 grade that is shipped. It is used largely for 

 the manufacture of packing cases. 



These grades are subdivided into other 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



grades by retail liunbermen for the require- 

 ments of their customers in their immediate 

 vicinity. 



The principal defects in white pine are 

 dote, rot, large black unsound knots, ring 

 shake, wormholes and stained sap. 



Dote is the first stage of rot, and is some- 

 times hard to distinguish in the heart of 

 the wood, and in many places is not a detri- 

 ment to the uses for which the stock is re- 

 quired, and in its first stages, will hold a nail 

 or screw 'as well as any other part of the 

 wood. 



Eot is very undesirable for almost any use; 

 it weakens the material, will not hold nails, 

 and is very undesirable for construction 

 work. 



Eing shake is found largely in the butt 

 li.gs and runs round and round with the 

 grain of the wood and generally makes it 

 vMluek'Ss for any finishing lumber or timber, 

 where strength is require<l. 



Wind shake is a fine, small shake and may 

 per\a(-le the whole tree. This is generally 

 found in large, tall trees, where the tops are 

 continuallj' swayed by the wind and the con- 

 tinual motion of the tree separates the grain 

 of the wood ; where this defect is very fine, 

 the material can be used in many places for 

 painted work and finishing. It is hard to dis- 

 tinguish this shake in green boards or tim- 

 ber, and it often does not show up until after 

 the lumber is dressed and exposed to the sun 

 or artificial heat. 



Stained sap is not a detriment where lum- 

 ber is to be painted, but looks black and bad 

 wliei-e stock is to be left in its natural state. 

 Wormholes are considered a defect in all 

 grades and are not desirable even in box 

 boards. 



Small, hard, red jiin knots du not impair 

 the strength of the wood and very often the 

 best of timber will break quicker where it 

 is clear than where the knot is. 



Black knots impair the strength of the 

 wood just in proportion, to their size. A 

 stock of timber 12x12 with a 2-inch black 

 knot running through it is no stronger than 

 a solid piece of timber 10x12 without the 

 knot. 



A knot which can be exposed by the saw 

 lengthwise is generally called a branch knot, 

 and you can see its full length in the board, 

 very often extending clear across on the sur- 

 face, weakening the board or timber where 

 it occurs, and should be avoided where mate- 

 rial is wanted for strength. 



A fat or pitchy Knot, if perfectly sound, 

 does not impair the strength, and, in fact, 

 the pitch or fat part of the pine wiU last 

 longer than any other part, as it will not rot 

 or decay by action of the elements as quickly 

 as other parts of the wood. 



It is very hard to give an idea of the 

 prices on the dift'erent grades and thicknesses 

 of stock. The higher grades and thicker 

 lumber are the most valuable, and as it 

 grades down and stock is thinner commands 

 a less price. The prices of timber are almost 

 always determined by the size, quality and 

 length of time required to furnish, a much 



19 



higher price being asked for stock that re- 

 quires a very quick delivery. 



To get considerable stock at the lowest 

 prices and for quickest deliveries, a good 

 many things must be taken into considera- 

 tion. You must remember that you will 

 never get dry timber. It takes a year to the 

 inch to dry timber in the open air, and with 

 the great demand no millman will keep stock 

 that length of time, losing the interest on 

 his money, and taking chances of his timber 

 checking, splitting and deteriorating. Sliip- 

 ping dry is all you can expect; i. e., the sur- 

 face dry enough to handle nicely. 



When ordering the different lengths of 

 stock, you should bear in mind that stock 

 cut to odd feet or inches is measured the 

 next even foot above; i. e., stock ordered 

 13 feet by 4 inches will be measured li feet, 

 so in making estimates remember this in 

 figuring the contents of timber. The shorter 

 the lengths the less price will be asked, so 

 when you can splice timber it is desirable to 

 do so, if not to the detriment of the struc- 

 ture. 



In ordering timber do not use the term 

 "No. 1 stock." That means clear and the 

 best there is. There are occasions when a 

 little of this would be required for some 

 special purpose, like the casings of a water- 

 wheel, or perhaps a few posts that would 

 need to be chamfered or finished for natural 

 wood effects, but the requirements for such 

 stock are few. 



Always specify, if possible, for what pur- 

 pose and where stock is to be used, and the 

 more thorough explanation you can give to 

 an experienced lumberman the more money 

 he can save you. In making orders for dif- 

 ferent purposes I would suggest that you 

 word them something as follows: 



Where exposed to the weather ask for 

 sound square-edged timber, free from sap, 

 rot, shake, loose and unsound knots, dead 

 timber and wormholes. 



Where the timber is not exposed to the 

 weather and will nearly always be dry, and 

 only strength for the structure is required, 

 ask for sound square-edged timber, bright or 

 slightly stained sap allowed, not to exceed 

 one-third of the surface of any one side of 

 the timber; sound pin knots admitted, not 

 to exceed 1% inches in diameter, according 

 to the size of the timber ; to be free from all 

 other imperfections. 



Where the timber is to be constantly ex- 

 posed to both wet and drj- conditions you 

 might call for sound square-edged timber, 

 free from all sap; sound pin knots no ob- 

 jection. 



Where timber is to be constantly wet sound 

 square-edged timber; sap, some fine shake, 

 sound knots, slightly doty timber and worm- 

 holes accepted. 



Where timber is wanted for bulkheads, 

 sheath piling and to be used simply for a 

 foundation with cement, where it will always 

 be submerged or kept from the air, and used 

 largely for superstructure without regard to 

 strength, then you might a.sk for sound 



