HARDWOOD RECORD 



29 



It is jiartly tlmt way in tlie lumber business. The upper grades 

 carry higlier prices, but in cutting up they produce pore good stock, 

 so when price, freight, handling and all other things are considered, 

 there is not as much ditference between the ultimate cost of the upper 

 grades worked into furniture and the lower grades. 



There is a disposition to turn to lower grades when the price of 

 lumber runs high. A striking example of this oceurred during the 

 past year. Because of higher prices in the lumber market the demand 

 for grades below No. 1 common became so strong that low-grade 

 lumber was the scarcest item on the market, in face of the fact that a 

 greater percentage of low-grade stock is made now than ever before. 



The question that comes out of all this is, how can a lumber buyer 

 know when it is cheaper to buy low grades or upper grades or what 

 particular gr;ide would be the best bargain in lumber at a given time? 

 The only way he can know positively is by keeping a careful record 

 of the results of cutting and using lumber of different grades. From 

 time to time take a car of this grade, cut it up and keep a record of 

 results, then a ear of another grade and so on through the list of 

 grades. From comparing results one should be able to establish a 

 relation of values between grades that will prove fairly reliable. It is 

 a simple proposition to compare it with the current quotations at the 

 time of purchase and determine what grade would be the best bargain. 



Conditions Around Memphis 



There has been a decided improvement in weather conditions 

 throughout this territory during the past fortnight. The rainfall 

 has been rather lighter than heretofore and there has been prac- 

 tically no rain now for a week. The woods are still wet and there 

 is still interference with logging operations in some of the low- 

 lands. Taken as a whole, however, logging can be conducted on a 

 more satisfactory scale now than for some time and good progress 

 is being made. The loading of logs is taking place rapidly and the 

 ^ timber is being biought to Memphis in large volume. Deliveries 

 are also being made to mills at points outside of this city. It is 

 estimated that there are between 700 and 900 cars of logs at Mem- 

 phis proper and lumber manufacturers, taking the advice of traffic 

 officials of the various lines oTitering this city, are doing every- 

 thing tlicy can to get all of their logs in before the car shortage 

 begins to make itself more strongly felt. 



There are some complaints of car shortage already, but not so 

 serious a situation has developed as was anticipated. The principal 

 cause tor this is to be found in the fact that the recent heavy rains 

 retard>?d picking and ginning of cotton and therefore prevented the 

 heavy rush of the staple to market. The movement to Memphis is 

 now increasing rapidly and, with favorable weather for picking, 

 ginning and marketing, the climax of the movement to this centre 

 ought to be witnessed within the next six or seven weeks. The 

 railroads say that they have the situation well in hand, that they 

 have plenty of cars and plenty of motive power and they believe 

 that, while there is practically certain to be some congestion, there 

 will not be the delay in the handling of traffic witnessed during the 

 fall season in some other years. 



Manufacturing operations continue on a rather large scale. A 

 number of the big mills here are running on double time and the 

 same is trug of a number of the larger plants in the territory 

 directly tributary to this city, with particular reference to those 

 in eastern Arkansas. As a general rule, the latter have a good 

 supply of timber and forces for logging are being increased in order 

 that there may be no necessity for shutting down for lack of raw 

 material. The demand for hardwood lumber is broadening and 

 both manufacturers and wholesale dealers are doing all they can 

 in the direction of getting their stock lists in such shape that they 

 may be able to take prompt care of the orders now being received 

 and of the business that is promised through the rapidly increasing 

 inquiries for practically all items. 



The Southern Hardwood Traffic Bureau will reopen the contro- 

 versy over rates on hardwood lumber shipments from Memphis to 

 New Orleans. This was decided at a meeting of the board of man- 

 agers held here a few days ago. The general manager, .T. H. 

 Townshend, was instructed to engage John E. Walker, attorney at 

 Washington, to file a petition with the Interstate Commerce Com- 

 mission covering this subject. The bureau wants a rate of eleven 

 cents on hardwood lumber shipments from points south of Memphis 

 and north of the main line of the Southern Railway in Mississippi 

 to New Orleans and a rate of ten cents from points between the 

 Southern Eailway and the Mississippi state line to the Crescent 

 City. Cc'ttouwood and gum. already enjoy the lower rates, as they 



were exempted from the advance which was recently granted by 

 the commission. It is therefore sought by the bureau to put all 

 the other items on the hardwood list on the same basis as cotton- 

 wood and gum on the ground that the rates granted by the com- 

 mission are excessive. The bureau has been threatening for some 

 tim.e to reopen this controversy and no surprise has been occasioned 

 by the instructions given Mr. Townshend by the board of man- 

 agers. This action was taken immediately after the return of 

 George D. Burgess, chairman of the bureau, from Europe. 



East Indian Mahogany 



The East Indian mahogany is a large tree that is very closely 

 allied to the true mahogany of tropical America. It is known to 

 botanists under the name of Soymida fehrifuga, and at one time was 

 considered to belong to the genus SiLneteiiia, of which the true 

 mahogany (S. mahagoni) is now the sole representative. In the 

 trade the wood ]S usually known as East Indian mahogany, but 

 it is also called Coromandel redwood or bastard cedar. In its native 

 country the tree is known as the rohun tree, because it furnishes a 

 febrifugal bark, which has been sold by drug supply houses under 

 the name of ' ' rohun. ' ' This bark has an astringent bitter taste, and 

 is considered a good tonic in intermittent fevers. The bark of true 

 mahogany possesses similar virtues and has been employed in the 

 West Indies as a substitute for cinchona. 



The East India mahogany is a native of the East Indies, chiefly 

 of the central and southern provinces. It is especially abundant 

 and attains its best development in the mountainous districts, where 

 a full grown tree in good locations frequently is found seventy-five 

 feet in height and from two to three feet in diameter. The majority 

 of the logs are considerably smaller and usually average from sixteen 

 to twenty feet in length and from one to one and one-half feet in 

 diameter. The wood is hard, strong, heavy (about seventy-two 

 pounds per cubic foot), more or less close and straight-grained 

 and of a dark blood-red color. It is not as difficult to work as its 

 weight and hardness would lead one to believe. It is said to be 

 exceedingly durable and lasts indefinitely under ground, but it is not 

 adapted to conditions where it is exposed to the sun and weather. 

 It often splits and checks badly when exposed and after it is 

 thoroughly seasoned becomes extremely brittle. In conditions where 

 the wood is not subjected to the hot rays of the sun, it rivals the 

 finest English oak in strength and can be used successfully for 

 structural purposes. The wood is well suited for indoor 

 work and for furniture and cabinet making. It is used also in 

 boat building, well-work, farming implements, and for turnery 

 and carved work in temples and fine residences. The dark-red 

 color of this wood is apt to fade if it is exposed to the direct rays 

 of the sun. In this respect the East Indian mahogany differs from 

 the true mahogany, which turns darker and more beautiful with 

 age. No figures are available as to the amount of this wood imported 

 into this country. It is often mixed with the darker grades of 

 padouk, which is the product of several entirely different species 

 of trees. L. L. D. 



