38 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



develops into veritable plagues in certain regions at irregularly recurring 

 periods ; the liicliory beetle is more constant in its activities, and more 

 regularly dispersed over the country. 



The destruction of hemlock among the Alleghany mountains thirty 

 years ago. and the ravages of the beetles among the Black Hills pines 

 later are well known instances of the plague temporarily beyond control. 

 So widespread and so irresistible are the attacks that the efforts of 

 man amount to little. The invasion expends its force and passes 

 away. In small areas men's efforts can successfully withstand the in- 

 vas.ons, but no way has yet been devised for doing it when extensive 

 regions are involved. 



The harm is usually done while the insect is in the larval state. In 

 the strict entomological sense, it is proper to call it a beetle ; but in 

 every day language it is more of a grub. A beetle is defined as having 

 ■'two thick wings, two thin wings, and six legs," but the bark borers 

 have neither wings nor legs. After they emerge from their burrows 

 tbey get their wings and legs and take their flight. Their boring is 

 then a thing of the past. The appendages of the body of a full.v-de- 

 veloped beetle would disqualify it for making burrows or creeping in 

 them. 



Production of Dyestuffs and Extracts 



The Bureau of the Census has i.ssued a summary of ili'- diilput of dye 

 stuffs and extracts in this country in 1900. 



The report states that manufacture of dyestuffs and extracts used in the 

 dyeing industry and that of extracts used in the tanning industry are so 

 closely associated that since the census of 1879 the statistics for the two 

 have been combined. The class of dyestuffs comprise natural dyestuffs, 

 artificial dyestuffs. mordants, and assistants. The class of tanning ma- 

 terials includes the ground, or comminuted products of oak, chestnut, and 

 hemlock wood or bark, palmetto roots, and sumac leaves ; the fluid or 

 solid extracts from these materials or from quercitron bark, or other tan- 

 nin-containing materials, tannic or gallic acid, and chrome tannage or 

 other tannage solutions. 



The statistics pertain only to establishments producing dyestuffs or tan- 

 ning materials for sale, and do not represent the entire manufacture of 

 these products, as there is also a large production by establishments that 

 use them in their own processes. This is especially true of the various 

 textile industries, and is often true a'.so in regard to the tanning industry. 



The number of establishments reported as engaged in the manufacture 

 of dyestuffs and extracts in 1909 was 107,. with a capital of .f 17,93-4,540. 

 The number of persons engaged in the industry was 3,01.5, of whom 2.397 

 were wage earners. The total value of all products was $15,954,574. The 

 sum of $2,233,705 was paid for services, of which $1,291,379 was for 

 wages. The cost of the materials used was $9,G83,G51. No establishments 

 employed over 250 wage earners. 



At the census of 1S49 there were reported 41 establishments with 114 

 wage earners and products valued at $229,841, and at the census of 1859 

 (0 establishments with 76 wage earners and products valued at $171,253. 

 With the exception of the decade lSSO-1899, in which decreases took place, 

 the industry has shown a substantial growth at each successive census. 

 The value of products reported for 1909 was five and a half times the 

 value reported for 1SG9, which was $2,878,609 ; part of this Increase, how- 

 ever, is attributable to the general advance in prices. 



New York, with products valued at $4,505,310 ; New .lersey, with $3,130,- 

 214 ; rennsylvania, with $2,345,251 ; Tennessee, with $1,313,020 : Virginia, 

 with $1.199.706 ; Rljode Island, with $927,070, and Massachusetts, with 

 $725,380. wore the principal producing states. The value of the products 

 reported from all the other states was $1,808,011. New Jersey showed the 

 largest relative increase in value of product during the decade 1899-1909. 

 522.G per cent. 



The report shows that the most important product In 1909 was oak and 

 chestnut extracts, of which 287,908,285 pounds, valued at $6,061,162. was 

 produced ; logwood extract followed with a production of 32.317.248 pounds. 

 valued at $991,974. The production of hemlock extract was 12.588.078 

 pounds, valued at $280,487; of artificial dyestuffs 12.267.309 pounds were 

 produced, valued at $3,462,430. Including subsidiar.v products reported, 

 the total production of artificial dyes in 1909 was approximately 12.759.000 

 pounds: of mordants, 1,788.000 pounds: of sizes. 57,400.000 pounds; of 

 tannic acid, 8,000,000 pounds ; and of turkey-red oil, 3.398,000 pounds. The 

 consumption of materials included 8,303 tons of sulphuric acid, costing 

 $72,638 ; 85 tons of nitric acid, costing $7.006 ; 242 tons of mixed acid, 

 costing $17,291 ; 6,341 gallons of grain alcohol, costing $3,309 : and 724 

 gallons of wood alcohol, costing $391. In addition 930.578.482 pounds of 

 ground and chipped wood, 293.062.168 pounds of ground bark and'l,955.040 

 pounds of grcuind leaves were made and used in the process of manufacture 

 by establlshuieuts reporting. 



American Sawo'iU in Japan 

 Consul George N. West of Kobe. Japan, reports that there is being 

 erected by an American trading corapan.v for tbe Gomel Kaisha Fujita 

 Gumi at Osaka a modern sawmill that is to be fitted throughout with 

 the latest American machinery for sawing logs into various dimensions 

 of lumber, also with the automatic devices for handling it from one 

 set of saws and planers to the other as required. By the use of this 

 modern machinery the daily output will be greatly increased and the 

 labor cost lowered. Through Introductions made by this consulate the 

 repreBcntatlve of an American machinery works was able to place some 



of his saws in the outfit for this mill in addition to placing with an- 

 other firm some of tbe same character of saws. This fact is mentioned, 

 as it was by the merest chance that acquaintance was made with this 

 representative of the American firm in the hotel, while he was await- 

 ing the sailing of a steamer, and is used as an argument why Amer- 

 ican representatives traveling abroad should call on the consular officera 

 at all ports they visit. As the sawmill referred to will be the first to 

 be erected in Japan on the modern American plan it is believed that 

 it will be the forerunner of many more, or the modernization in part 

 at least of those now in operation where the work is done by hand 

 or where only a ripsaw is used. 



Effect of Low Prices Abroad 

 The retarding eflect of low prices abroad on the exports of lumber 

 and logs, which had become very pronounced in June, was still more in 

 evidence in July, during which month the shipments in some divisions 

 of tbe trade dropped as much as fifty per cent, as compared with the 

 corresponding month of 1912. The reduction was especially notable 

 with respect to oak and poplar, and that the total value of the exports 

 does not show a larger decline than is actually the case must be 

 attributed entirely to the occasional shipments of spruce and other 

 ■ ■xtraordinary features. The exports of oak logs, for example, fell from 

 07,000 feet, valued at $2,494, in July, 1912, to nothing last July, while 

 hickory log exports declined from 70,000 feet, worth $2,120, to 22,000 

 feet, worth $600. Of all other logs there were exported in last July 

 18,000 feet, valued at .«915, against 111,000 feet, valued at $6,779, in 

 July, 1912. Of oak lumber the shipments last July amounted to not 

 more than 1.844.000 feet, valued at $66,440, as against 3.479,000 feet, 

 valued at $117,100, in July, 1912. The poplar shipments for the same 

 periods were respectively 180,000 feet, worth $8,331, and 303,000 feet, 

 worth $11,253. The exports of "all other" lumber, however, rose from 

 478,000 feet, worth $20,281, In July, 1912, to 733,000 feet, worth 

 .$37,608. last July. The total value of exports was about $50,000 

 less last July than for the corresponding period of 1912, which tends 

 to show the strength of tbe business apart from the various items that 

 have gone forward in excessive quantities, and in which congestion has 

 ensued. And the need for curtailment is not yet at an end. Stocks 

 abroad are still reported large, especially in oak planks and some 

 grades of poplar, and the advice of foreign brokers is still that ex- 

 porters should hold down, shipping only on orders. Of course, as 

 pointed out repeatedly before, the bad effects of shipping on consign- 

 ment are not confined to sucli shipments, but extend to the entire trade. 

 As soon as a particular line becomes plentiful the buyers discover that 

 shipments are not up to specifications. Identically the same kind of 

 lumber may have been accepted without question before, but suddenly 

 it is rejected as below grade. To be sure, the buyer is always ready 

 10 take the shipment, including the rejected planks, at a proper dis 

 count, which generally amounts to the decline in the current quotations 

 below tbe stipulated contract price. Consequently, the congestion may 

 be said to have a general effect, and it is to the interest of nil shippers 

 to hold down until the shipments have been absorbed. 



Agree on Shipping of Rough Material Products 



A definite understanding concerning the shipping of rough material 

 products was reached on Sept. 2 by the Arkansas Stave and Heading 

 .\ssociation and representatives of the traffic department of railroads 

 doing business in Arkansas. The members of the association met with 

 the railroad representatives for lunch at the Hotel Marion, and after- 

 wards held the conference which resulted in an agreement that the 

 railroads shall receive forty per cent on rough material carried to the 

 plants in outgoing shipments of sawed staves or heading and twenty- 

 one per cent on rough material on outgoing shipments of finished bolts 

 or heading. 



This meeting was occasioned by a recent movement to have a change 

 wrought in the freight schedule on rough material. The Railroad Com- 

 mission of Arkansas has held several special meetings of late for the 

 purpose of considering tbe proposed changes, but no definite action has 

 yet been taken. 



As the result of the agreement reached by the two interests on Sept. 2. 

 a resolution was passed by the Arkansas Stave and Heading Association 

 requesting the Railroad Commission to defer the proposed hearing on 

 hardwood and rough material products rates, which has been set for 

 Sept. 15, to tbe latter part of October. It is the plan of the associa- 

 tion, if its request is gianted. to present to the conintissiou the data 

 and agreement, so as to put In effect the rates agreed upon. 



More than fifty men were in attendance at the meeting, many being 

 representative? from other states who are interested in tbe outcome of 

 the dispute over the rates on rough material in Arkansas. 



The Stave & Heading Association elected J. A. Morgan of St. Louis 

 as its traffic manager. Mr. Morgan is already serving as traffic manager 

 for the National Cooperage Association, the National Tight Barrel stave 

 Association, the National Slack Barrel Stave .\ssociatlon and the Nn 

 tional Traffic Bureau. A committee, composed of J. A. Morgan. W. C. 

 Hasty of Paragould and J. H. Hamlin of the Hamlin Stave Company of 

 Little Rock was appointed to draft the formal agreement as reached by 

 the association and tlie railroads. This agreement Is to bo printed and 

 distributed tor use among the manufacturers of hardwood products and 

 the railroads of Arkansas. 



