April 25. 1922 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



17 



A couipreheusiv.e publicity canipaigii to extend the marlcet for 

 maple was agreed upon by tke Miehigan Hardwood Manufacturers' 

 Association at the spring meeting of the association in Grand 

 Rapids, Mich., at the Pantlind hotel on April 19. 



F. O. Bardeu of Boyne City, president, was authorized to appoint 

 a committee with full power to act, to cooperate with a similar 

 committee from the Xorthern Hemlock & Hardwood Manufacturers' 

 Association in mapping out a thoroughgoing plan of procedure to 

 promote the more extensive use of maple by advertising and other 

 publicity means. 



In order that the campaign may be properly financed J. C. Knox 

 of Cadillac, secretary, was instructed to assess the membership 10 

 cents on each thousand feet of maple shijiped, the assessment to 

 become retroactive to Jan. 1, 1922. 



This maple promotion campaign has been under consideration 

 since the winter meeting of the Michigan Hardwood Manufacturers' 

 Association in Detroit, at which time the membership voted unani- 

 mously to inaugurate such a campaign, provided the co-operation 

 of the Northern Hemlock & Hardwood Manufacturers' Association 

 could be secured. This was granted by the latter association at its 

 annual meeting some time ago and the assessment for financing the 

 campaign raised to 10 cents the thousand feet shipped. The Mich- 

 igan operators had originally voted a 5 per cent assessment. There- 

 fore, the way is entirely clear for an inauguration of the campaign 

 as soon as the details can be worked out. 



Swan Explains Publicity Methods 



The undertaking of the maple campaign was the result of the 

 marked success with the campaign for the promotion of "Beauti- 

 ful Birch," and somewhat similar methods will be pursued in the 

 maple campaign. O. T. Swan of Oshkosh, Wis., secretary of the 

 Northern association, was present at the Grand Eapids meeting 

 and explained the methods that will be pursued. Not only will 

 disjilay advertising space be used in publications reaching the con- 

 suming trade, but booklets and other forms of follow-up advertis- 

 ing matter will be compiled for circulation and exhibits of maple 

 in its many virtues and uses will be made at conventions, county 

 fairs, etc. Manufacturers ' salesmen also will be furnished with 

 information on maple, which will enable them to give its story 

 eloquently and accurately to their customers and prospects. In 

 addition to all this a well-qualified man will probably be employed 

 to do "missionary work" among prospective maple consumers. 



Because of the faot that maple flooring manufacturers are already 

 spending approximately $20,000 a year to advertise their product, 

 it was decided that members manufacturing maple flooring would 

 not be assessed on the wood consumed in their own plants, but only 

 on shipments to other manufacturers. The new campaign will be 

 so planned that there will be no duplication of the maple flooring 

 advertising efforts. 



The question of beech promotion was raised .by D. H. Day of 

 Glen Haven, which brought the information that beech will prob- 

 ably be the next wood to be exploited by an orrranized advertising 

 campaign. 



There was some discussion of the association^ work in the light 

 of the recent Hardwood Case decision, and Secr^^'ary Knox advised 

 the members in his report that he was confidu^'i the association's 

 methods will bear the closest scrutiny of any fair-minded body of 

 the authorities. 



Conditions Are Favorable 



Secretary Knox's report also examined the present economic 

 status of the association's membership, reporting that the stock 

 report of April 1 revealed a very favorable condition as compared 

 with previous years. Hardwood stocks on hand sold and unsold 

 on that date totaled 123,330,000 feet, of which 70 per cent was No. 

 2 common and better, and 30 per cent No. 3 common. Hemlock 



stocks sold and unsold totaled 5(),7.-.0,()(l0 feet, of which about 

 4,000,000 feet were sold. Shipments and production during the 

 quarter ended March 31 indicated a decided improvement in trade. 

 Not much business is being done in hemlock bark, he stated. Very 

 few members intend to peel bark this year. Reports indicate that 

 500 cords are left over 'from last year. The estimated peel for this 

 year is 7,.5.50 cords, of which 2,000 are reported sold at $9.2.5 per 

 cord of 2,240 pounds. Several members estimated the price a cord 

 $9 to $17, f. o. b. jioint of shipment. 



Referring to railroad freight rates, Mr. Knox stated that rates 

 on lumber and forest products to points in Michigan are exceed- 

 ingly high and that the Michigan Traffic League had entered a com- 

 plaint before the state public utilities commission at Lansing, 

 which was be heard April 21. 



Some very interesting figures on the average cost of production 

 and distribution of lumber during 1921 was given by the secre- 

 tary, as the result of a questionnaire on the subject, which he was 

 authorized to send out at the winter meeting of the association. 

 The following are the totals: From stump to mill, $15.60; milling, 

 yarding and marktjting, $9.24; miscellaneous, $3.22; total cost, 

 $28.06; stumpage value, $10.55; interest on investment, $7.60; total 

 cost value of lumber, $46.21, as against $51.70 for 1920. 

 Grade and TaUey Marking Commended 



The grade marking and talley-carding of lumber, such as recom- 

 mended by the American Lumber Congress and endorsed by Secre- 

 tary of Commerce Hoover, was commended by W. L. Saunders of 

 Cadillac, Mich., who reported for the grading rules committee. 

 Mr. Saunders believed that if this policy is not adopted by the 

 manufacturers, legislation will ultimately be ejiacted compelling 

 them to do so. Such legislation, he conceived, would probably pro- 

 vide not only for branding, but also for government inspection and 

 other governmental supervisions. 



A discussion of railroad freight rates followed this report, and 

 Mr. Swan advised that the Northern Hemlock & Hardwood Manu- 

 facturers' Association has filed a complaint against lumber freight 

 rates from its territory, in an effort to remove the discrimination 

 resulting from the recent readjustments in rates from southern 

 hardwood producing territory. The Michigan freight committee 

 had invited the Michigan Hardwood Manufacturers' Association 

 to discuss with it its requirements in the way of freight readjust- 

 ments within the state, and Mr. Saunders requested all members 

 of the traffic committee present to meet with him following the 

 general session, in order to discuss ways and means of procedure 

 in the attempt to secure equitable reductions. 



It was decided to hold the annual convention of the association 

 in Detroit next July, on a date to be announced later. 



Central States Forestry League Asks That Idle 

 Acres Be Put to Tree Growing 



"We deplore the fact that our Lake States are today allowing 

 over 30,000,000 acres of land to lie idle, when these lands might 

 well produce yearly 5,000,000,000 feet of lumber, more than $150,- 

 000,000 of crop income and even more in labor income, transporta- 

 tion and traffic," reads a portion of one of the resolutions adopted 

 by the Central States Forestry League, which met for the second 

 time on April 19 and 20 in Chicago under the auspices of the 

 Public Affairs Committee of the Union League Club.. 



The league further resolved that, "All lands not actively and 

 profitably used today should at once be started in the direction of 

 useful forestry." * » * 



"This meeting wishes to go on record," another resolution said, 

 "declaring that forestry in the United States can be made as 

 good a business as it is abroad; that the forest as a crop far excels 

 farm crops in using poorer soils and colder localities; that the 



