April 10, 1917 



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The Lumhermans Round Table 



Cabinets for X-Ray Machines 



An important consuming industry is the manufacture of X-ray 

 machines. The makers of equipment of this character have learned 

 that the cabinets are ahnost as important as the apparatus -which they 

 contain, and they are accordingly putting more time ajid thought into 

 their design. "While some of the smaller houses in this field buy their 

 cabinets, the big fellows have their own shops and make and finish 

 the boxes as well as the mechanical parts. 



Attention was recently called by the sales manager of a concern 

 in this field to a handsome model which looks not unlike a large-size 

 phonograph. It would make a fine and impressive appearance in the 

 office of the doctor who used it. 



"That is not one of the least of its advantages," explained the 

 sales manager, commenting on this feature. "Many doctors have 

 their own X-ray outfits now, and these are helpful in showing their 

 patients that they are prepared to give them any kind of treatment 

 or diagnosis that may be required.^ A model of this kind makes a 

 handsome piece of office furniture, and serves a double purpose for 

 the physician who uses it. Yes, we cut up a good deal of lumber 

 for these cabinets." 



Most of the X-ray cabinets are of oak, though some are of birch 

 and other woods that lend themselves readily to ' ' mahoganization. ' ' 



Furniture and Finishes 



The furniture manufacturers seem to be making a mistake that does 

 not do credit to their intelligence, and does not suggest that they 

 are sufficiently clever in merchandising their products. Just because 

 brown finishes are popular at present, and go well with the period 

 styles, the producers are working the brown idea to death, and prac- 

 tically everything is being offered with that kind of finish. 



A big wholesaler was commenting on this fact recently, and admitted 

 that he thought a mistake had been made in putting the loud pedal 

 exclusively on the browns. He pointed to goods on his floor, made 

 of oak, mahogany and walnut, and all finished in brown. All, inci- 

 dentally, were exactly the same shade of brown, which meant a very 

 dark finish, not at all suggestive of the natural colors of any of these 

 woods, even the walnut being finished much too dark. 



A little more variety in the treatment of the various materials 

 with which the furniture manufacturers have to work would give the 

 public a chance to ' ' pay its money and take its choice, ' ' whereas the 

 assumption that everybody wants brown may prove to be a mistake, 

 or at any rate will cause an ultimate revulsion from it. Brown is 

 an attractive color, and is weU suited for use with Circassian and 

 American walnut, in addition to gum. But to finish every wood on 

 the list that way wUl mean that before long nothing that is brown 

 will stand a chance of being sold: the public will have tired of this 

 color and will be looking for red or pink or gray or whatever the 

 furniture fashion designers decide is the proper color (regardless 

 of the character of the woods themselves). 



Moderation is the safest plan, in any event. 



"America for Americans?" 



Present conditions in this country are certainly calculated to 

 stimulate patriotism, and make every citizen respond to an appeal 

 based on common interest in Old Glory. The idea of protecting the 

 United States from foreign enemies, commercial as well as military, 

 is taking firm root, and suggestions regarding putting plans for pro- 

 tection into effect are likely to be received in a more kindly spirit. 



Just ' ' f rinstance, " as B. L. T. says, what about the protection of 

 American oak from the Japanese variety? A good deal has been 

 said and written about the competition which domestic producers 

 have experienced on the Pacific Coast, and no doubt the Japanese 

 trade is pretty well established in some lines there. In the flooring 

 business especially it is said to have cut a hole in the business of 

 American manufacturers. 



With grave international questions to dispose of. Congress is not 

 likely to go deeply into matters of this kind just now, either at the 

 special or regular session; but just as soon as the skies clear, the oak 

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people ought to bring pressure to bear to put into effect the slogan, 

 "America for Americans," and to secure the levying of a tariff 

 that wUl conserve an important part of the domestic market to 

 domestic producers of oak. , 



Waterways and Lumber 



The possibility of a disastrous railway strike, even when it is no 

 more than a possibility, is decidedly disagreeable to contemplate; 

 and its contemplation inevitably suggests a question which the -lum- 

 ber trade should have answered a long time ago, namely, why not 

 use the waterways to a greater extent for the haulage of hardwoods'? 



In the northern districts, ice ties up the harbors for a considerable 

 portion of the year, but in other seasons considerable lumber is 

 handled. In the South, however, in spite of the fact that navigation 

 all the year round is available in many sections, even taking low 

 stages into account, the rivers have been used comparatively little for 

 the transportation of lumber, though they have played a big part 

 in the movement of logs from sections otherwise inaccessible. 



A lot of attention was attracted a few years ago to an all-water 

 movement from a point in Alabama to Louisville, the Tennessee and 

 Ohio rivers being used. This particular experiment was developed 

 because of an advance in railroad rates, and the lumbermen interested 

 wanted to demonstrate that water competition is a condition and not 

 a theory. The demonstration was perfect, but for some reason or 

 other the plan was not made permanent. Perhaps the raUroadslearned 

 their lesson and made the necessary concessions. 



However, it has been shown that the waterways are capable of 

 handling lumber on a commercial basis, and in view of strikes, 

 embargoes and other features which seem to be inseparable from 

 railroad operation, why not use them to a larger degree? 



Walnut Sap No Defect 



A well-known walnut specialist rises to remark that walnut should 

 be sold sap no defect. He points out that the demand for walnut 

 is such that making a strict grade which eliminates the sap puts 

 too great a burden on the top grades, while at the same time it encour- 

 ages an accumulation of low grades. 



At the same time, he points out, consumers iKive learned how to 

 finish sap walnut so that it matches black walnut perfectly. In fact, 

 many walnut producers have studied this feature, and while it is 

 probably true that an experienced eye can always tell the difference 

 between the naturally black wood and that which has obtained its 

 color by steaming or in some other way, this process is helpful, and 

 makes the finishing job easier for the consumer. 



Oak Prepares Its Come-Back 



It is understood that the oak advertising, under the auspices of the 

 American Oak Manufacturers' Association, will begin to "run" 

 shortly, to use a trade expression, and it is appropriate to extend to 

 the campaign at this time best wishes for a bon voyage. 



The initial expenditure for space should not be expected to cause 

 a revolution in the consuming field. It will take some time to make 

 an impression on the situation, and to overturn conditions which have 

 been forming during the course of years, but it can be done. 



In this connection, judging from the success of the walnut cam- 

 paign, which was confined entirely to trade papers, it looks as if 

 the association would be wise to prepare tlie way for any consumer 

 advertising which it may have in view by thoroughly cultivating the 

 trade factors. Bringing oak to the favorable attention of users of 

 hardwoods, and reminding them of its thorough reliability and wide 

 range of excellent qualities, would appear to be one of the prime 

 elements of the promotion work. The architects and interior trim 

 trade should also not be neglected. The public can be interested, but 

 their interest wUl count for little unless trade conditions are right. 



It is almost too much to expect that the campaign will have much 

 effect on sales of oak furniture during the spring and fall of this 

 year, as stocks have already been bought for one season and designs 

 planned for the next; but by January, 1918, oak should be a much 

 more prominent feature at the furniture cxliibitions. 



