50 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



^ 



Start Somewhere 



No i)i-oi)ositioii i-;iii l>o arcurately li<i;iirc(l out 

 unless a startiiifj ])piiit is first established. 



Dill you ever encounter a nutn who jirot'essed 

 that Ik" was entirely satisficil with liis lumber 

 kiln drying results? 



Will not even the expert tell you that occa- 

 sionally his lumber comes through his kiln just 

 riirlil — the next time it is too green — the next 

 time it is too dry — the next time that it is 

 checked, warped or honeycombed? 



'riu>re is a reason for it. 



Usually it is not the fault of tlie dry kiln. 



How can it be expected that woods of vari- 

 ous texture, various thickness or at various 

 stages of air dryness can be subjected in a kiln 

 to the same heat, the same ventilation, the same 

 duration of time and accomplish uniformly sat- 

 isfactory result.s ? 



It is an impossible proposition. 

 START SO:\IEWnEKE. 



Start with lumber that is uniform iu texture 

 and dryness through and through. 



The solution of all lumber-drying difflcultie 

 is the employment of 





cure 



LUMBER 



TRADE MARK 



Tliis is lumber treated with steam under pressure in 

 the Kraetzer Patented Preparator. 



Lumber that has been treated in this apparatus is 

 fit for the kiln, whether it be 30 days old, 60 days old, 

 or six months old; is delivered without check, split, stain, 

 warp or other seasoning defects, and is of an uniform 

 and mellow texture and color. 



This lumber can be satisfactorily kiln-dried in the 

 simplest form of a kiln in one-third of the time that, 

 ordinary air-dried lumber requires. 



The kiln will deliver this lumber as it received it, 

 save for dryness. 



Its milling qualities will be vastly improved, as also 

 its strength and elasticity. 



The big loss in shrinkage will be avoided. 



Furniture or interior finish made of Kraetzer-eured, 

 kiln-dried wood will hold its glue joints, stay where it 

 is put, and the shrinkage and swelling, even under vio- 

 lent atmosjiheric changes, is almost nil. 



It will take filler and even water stains without per- 

 ceptible raising of the grain. 



We will cheerfully supply thj names and addresses 

 of all lumber manufacturers who employ the Kraetzer 

 Preparator, naming the kinds of woods they produce. 



Buy one car of steam treated lumber, handle it 

 through your kilns and into your finished product, and 

 you will be convinced that .i/ou cannot afford not to use 

 Kraetzer-cnred lumber. 



The same desirable results can be achieved on ordi- 

 nary air-dried lumber with a Preparator as an adjunct 

 to your dry kiln. 



The Kraetzer Company 



537 S. Dearborn St., CHICAGO 



better clusslflcations are nl)out as firm as could be expected, while the 

 Inquiry for extra wide stocks lias dropped to very sjnnU proportions, the 

 movement being almost suspended. No one, however, looks for any par- 

 ticular activity at this time, and there is a general tendency to settle 

 down and await the coming of the new year. Moreover, It Is to be said 

 that the volume of business has not narrowed to the point that might 

 have been expected, and that, all things considered, it is to be regarded as 

 satisfactory. 



The export situation Is rather improved. To be sure, for the present 

 no extensive movement is in progress, but the feeling abroad is better than 

 It has been. Stocks of various kinds have been reduced to easily man- 

 ageable proportions, and the curtailment has assumed such decisiveness 

 that the buyers abroad arc beginning to show a more active interest In 

 the offerings. In many Instances advances over previous figures have 

 been realized, though the increase is not sulflciently pronounced to be 

 reflected In any marked expansion in the movement. Apparently the 

 consuming cap.acity of the foreign trade has been augmented, and a 

 further improvement may be confidently looked for. Drains in directions 

 that absorbed great sums of money have been stopped, and more normal 

 conditions are being restored in the financial circles, which should prove 

 helpful, among other activities, to tlie lumber trade. 



=-< COLUMBUS >-= 



While this is the usual slack season of the year, still the demand for 

 hardwoods during the past fortnight has been rather good. Buying is» 

 being done for delivery after the first of the year and generally speaking 

 the tone of the market is good. I'riccs are pretty well maintained at the 

 level which has prevailed for some time. 



There is some cutting ot prices to force trade, but not much. Dry 

 stocks are not very plentiful and this tact is expected to help market con- 

 ditions. The car supply is not adequate for all purposes and shipments 

 are coming out much more promptly than has been the case for some time. 



Buying on the part of factory managers is the best feature at this 

 time. While plants are not laying in a surplus of materials they are 

 buying what they need for immediate wants. Implement and vehicle 

 concerns are the best customers at this time ot the year. Furniture 

 factories are now waiting for the semi-annual show period. 



Retailers are not Inclined to buy much in the face of the approaching 

 semi-annual inventories. Dealers' stocks are quite small and a better 

 volume of business is antitipated after the first of the .year. Building 

 operations which have been quite active during the year have ceased, to 

 a certain extent because of the inclement weather. 



The demand for both quartered and plain oak is good and prices are 

 ruling firm in all grades and items. Chestnut is also strong, with sound 

 wormy the best grade. Basswood and ash are moving well and the same 

 is true ot poplar, which has been a little slow In previous months. 

 Other hardwoods are unchanged. 



=-< CINCINNATI >- 



Demaud fur hardwuuds is as goud at this time of the year as can be 

 expected, as the holiday period together with inventory times is not con- 

 ducive to producing any more business than is actually necessary from 

 bu.vers. There is no doubt that there will be very light purchasing at 

 least until after the first of the year, and many dealers are of the opinion 

 that there will not be much for the next three or four months. Prices 

 are holding firm and will likely continue so, there being no- reason for 

 any reductions. On the other hand, should there be the very good 

 demand which some dealers expect by the first of next February, there 

 is a good chance for obtaining better prices for a number of the hard- 

 woods. The worst that manufacturers and 4ealers are looking for is at 

 least a repetition of the hand to mouth purchasing that has been so much 

 in evidence during this year and although repeated orders have been 

 numerous to make up a fair monthly volume dealers would like and 

 fully expect to find buyers a little more liberal in the size of orders 

 placed. There has been a noticeable slowing down in the operations 

 of wood consumers, but this is not taken to mean that it is going to last. 



There is a fair call for plain oak. and quartered oak is also in fair 

 request. The better grades of chestnut are not doing so well as several 

 weeks ago but the sound wormy grades are in good demand. There is a 

 very good sale for all kinds of low-grade hardwoods suitable for box 

 making, Cottonwood, poplar and gum being in excellent demand for this 

 purpose. Hardwood flooring is in good request and dealers are well 

 satisfied with the market conditions but prices obtainable for this stock 

 are not qnitn satisfactory. 



-< INDIANAPOLIS > 



Hardwood lumbermen are looking forward to the new year with con- 

 siderable optimism. While this year has not been what might be termed 

 a disappointment, it has been accompanied by many trade disturbing ele- 

 ments, and the volume of business has not exceeded that of last year. 



Indications, however, seem to point toward a revival of business begin- 

 ning early in the new year. It is thought the financial situation will 

 clarify very shortly and that there will be a general revival of manu- 

 facturing interests. 



The hardwood business at present is, of course, dull. The trade this 

 month probably has not been as good as that of last December. There is 

 no noticeable change In prices, however. 



