i6 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



ul' a possible eoiulilion to prevail iu the lutuic. The use of any 

 commodity is dependent upon its adaptability for specific purposes as 

 combined with its relative value as compared to other commodities 

 of equal adaptability. 



The fact that but one-sixth of the amount of wood per capita is 

 used by the Germans does not necessarily indicate that those thrifty 

 people could not secure more wood if they wanted it, but rather that 

 they have found substitutes which servo their purposes and which 

 they can secure at a less cost. The use of other materials than wood, 

 such as stone and brick, in house construction in Germany does not 

 signify that that type of architecture is specially preferred, but 

 rather because of economic consideration it is the style of construc- 

 tion best suited to the purpose. 



It is a well-known fact that native-grown lumber in Germany com- 

 mands excessively high prices as compared to lumber used in this 

 country produced from our native forests. Also, the cost of importing 

 foreign-grown lumber, added to the value of the lumber itself, means 

 that the ultimate cost of foreign lumber to the German consumer is 

 high. The whole question, however, really hinges on the fact that 

 domestic lumber within the boundaries of the German empire is not 

 plentiful and hence commands a high price. It is not likely that 

 conditions such as exist in Germany today will exist in this country 

 for a good many years to come, but that we are working toward that 

 same end is undoubtedly true. Therefore the logical course to follow 

 would be the employment of more detailed merchandizing methods 

 looking to the gradual increase in the closer utilization of our trees 

 and more detailed attention to specific lines of consumption for 

 diiferent grades and varieties of lumber in order that each grade and 

 kind of wood may be put to the use for which it is best adapted, 

 thereby insuring the fullest possible profit to the lumber trade. This 

 condition will come about as a gradual evolution, and it is encourag- 

 ing to note the tendency even now shown on the part of American 

 manufacturers to put such methods into practice. 



An Intelligent Safeguard 



THE BROADCAST ADVANCES in freight rates which the rail- 

 roads announce and which have been generally suspended by the 

 Interstate Commerce Commission pending investigation have undoubt- 

 edly had some effect in retarding the placing of orders "for shipment 

 during the next few months. The fact that the increase would mean 

 advance in price of from five per cent up in selling price of lumber 

 has unquestionably resulted to a degree at least in effecting a more 

 hesitant spirit on the part of the buyers w^ho desire shipments some 

 time after orders are placed. This uncertainty as to possible change 

 in value in various commodities has made necessary the employment 

 of such means as vrill successfully overcome this excuse on the part 

 of the buyers for further holding off in their purchases for 1914. In 

 this connection a prominent "Wisconsin firm has evolved an idea which 

 appears to be most excellent. 



This company is now stamping all quotations for delivered ship- 

 ments with the following words: "On account of pending advances 



in freight rates this quotation is .based on present rate of cents 



per hundred pounds for prompt shipment and subject to any increase 

 of rate on acceptance for deferred shipment." 



Seeking Independence of America 



A LONDON TEADE PAPEE rejoices in the prospect of ex- 

 tending Eussian railways into the Caucasian timber region in 

 order to bring out logs to supply some of the markets of western 

 Europe. It is claimed, ' ' Europe would be rendered more inde- 

 pendent of America for mahogany and walnut." It is not easy 

 to see in what way the mahogany supply will be affected by the 

 building of railroads into the mountains of western Asia, since not 

 a stick of mahogany grows in that region. Neither is it apparent 

 how there can be competition with America in walnut, because the 

 kind of walnut growing in Caucasia is not found in America. The 

 Asiatic species is the Circassian walnut which has never been an 

 active competitor of black walnut of American growth, because of 

 the great difference in cost between the two woods and also because 

 of difference in color. If there is to be serious rivalry between 

 woods of Caucasia and those of the United States, the competition 



will lie between Circassian walnut and red gum. Though tlie later 

 is much cheaper than the walnut from Asia, the figure schemes of 

 the two are so similar that a considerable quantity of the wood 

 passing as Circassian walnut is red gum from Tenessee, Arkansas, 

 or some other southern state. No matter how many new railroads 

 are built into the timber regions of Caucasia, there is no possibility 

 of bringing out enough walnut to have an appreciable effect on 

 the quantity of red gum sold in Europe. There can be no compe- 

 tition in price, and as to figure, the gum, if well selected, can hold 

 its own any day and anywhere. 



Car Statistics 



THE AMEEICAN EAILWAY ASSOCIATION in Bulletin 155A 

 gives its usual figures on car surplus and shortage. 

 On November 15, 1913, the total surplus of cars as reported was 

 46,059, as against surplus on November 1 of 38,276. Comparison of 

 figures for November 7, 1912, at which time the total surplus was 

 19,897 cars, would indicate that there is some little laxity in ship- 

 ments this year as compared with November of last year. This 

 suggestion is more or less borne out by comparison of shortages, as 

 on November 15 of this year there was a shortage of 23,407 cars, 

 as against a shortage of 71,156 cars on November 7, 1912. On 

 November 1, 1913, the shortage was 40,118 cars. 



Where Were the Lumbermen? 



A DAILY CONSULAE EEPOET contains an account of a buUd- 

 ing exhibit which was held at Glasgow, Scotland, the early part 

 of October. The report says that the exhibit was very elaborate and 

 embraced almost every conceivable article required for construction 

 and fittings of almost every class of building. It is interesting, then, to 

 note the description of the various . materials and appliances noted. 

 This description starts out with concrete mixing, concrete blocks, 

 brick machines, drain and pipe cleaners, and the different kinds of 

 instruments used in surveying and mapping work. Under the head 

 of building material are listed marble, brick, cement and ornamental 

 interior finishing of mosaic and cement work. Then come the 

 plumbing exhibits, embracing all the latest and most modern plumb- 

 ing supplies. The next exhibit was of interior finish, and, according 

 to report, included electric and gas devices for heating, stoves, ranges, 

 private telephone apparatus, carpets, rugs, matting, draperies, and, 

 finall}', at the end of the list, furniture. 



It is significant that the only mention made of any commodity in 

 any way related to lumber was the one word ' ' furniture. ' ' It would 

 seem that the members of the lumber fraternity located in Scotland 

 are even more remiss than their American brothers in the matter of 

 adequately exploiting their products, for, while American lumbermen 

 have been rather delinquent as to adopting modern methods, it would 

 seem that the Scottish lumbermen overlooked an opportunity that 

 confronted them, whereas the members of the American trade have 

 simply not had the opportunity and heretofore have not created it. 



Important to Northern Operators 



ON THE OCCASION OF THE EECENT MEETING of the 

 Michigan Hardwood Manufacturers' Association E. S. Kellogg, 

 secretary of the Northern Hemlock & Hardwood Manufacturers' As- 

 sociation, made the interesting observation that the tendency on the 

 part of northern operators would be to hold very firndy to prices 

 during the coming year because of the fact that there is promised 

 an increase in logging costs of from twenty-five cents to one dollar 

 a thousand. It is probable that the reason for this is two-fold. On 

 the one hand the lumber jacks are demanding and receiving better 

 wages then ever, and on the other hand they are actually being 

 housed and fed in comparative luxury when are considered the con- 

 ditions under which the lumber jack existed in former days. 



In addition to this the various necessities for logging operations 

 have gone up in price proportionately. That the seriousness of the 

 situation is understood and that it is realized that steps must be 

 taken to effect some sort of a favorable change is seen in the fact 

 that sometime during the present month there will be a conference 

 of representatives of loggers in Michigan and Wisconsin, who will 

 get together at Green Bay. 



