32 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



Ou well managed forest properties the premiums vary from $1 

 down to twelve cents per $250 value. The rate of course is made 

 out for and differs with each particular tract. 



There is no question but that in the future insurance companies 

 will enlarge the scope of their policies to include the insurance 

 of standing timber. This time will come just as soon as adequate 

 measures are adopted by all the organizations interested in fire 

 protection. 



Several associations assess their members on a pro rata basis per 

 acre in advance of the fire season which has proved to be excellent 

 forest fire insurance. During 1911 in one instance 9.54,000 acres 

 were protected at an average cost of one and one-third cents per 

 acre. 



The following are the principal factors of cost in organizing a 

 forest tract under an efiicicnt system of fire protection: 



1. Character of timber growth and underbrush. It is obviously 

 more expensive to protect dense, brushy timber than an open, cleaiL 

 growth. 



2. Topography or "lay of the land." Where lookout points 

 can be established to advantage, it is a very cheap and efficient 

 method. 



3. Accessibility. Telephones, roads, trails, etc., which are- 

 usually found near settlements are a considerable aid to fire pro- 

 tection. Sometimes, however, settlers are a great source of trouble 

 in brush burning, etc. 



4. Location of emergency supplies of fire fighting tools, food 

 and camp equipment. This is comparatively inexpensive and 

 very efficient in saving time and trouble in getting to a fire. 



5. Cost and efficiency of labor for patrol, erection of towers 

 and telephones, building trails, etc. N. C. B. 



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Imports and Exports in 1913 



The Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce has published 

 figures showing the imports and exports of forest products for the 

 year 1913. For convenience of comparison, similar figures for 1912 

 are given. The value of the mahogany iinported in 1913 was seven- 

 teen per cent greater than in the preceding year, as is shown in 

 detail in the following table: 



1912. 1913. 



Maiiogany from England ?1, 724,381 $1,761,206 



Mahogany from Central America 1,113,823 1,101,809 



Mahogany from Mexico 600,190 874,811 



Mahogany from Africa 307,316 607,437 



Mahogany from other countries 540,389 684,250 



Total mahogany imports .?4,286,099 $5,029,513 



Gain in 1913 over 1912 $ 743,414 



The largest importations of mahogany are credited to England. 

 This wood does not grow in that country, but is collected there from 

 all regions of the world where it grows, and is distributed to vari- 

 ous countries. 



Most of the African mahogany whicli reaches the United States 

 comes by way of England; but there is some trade in this wood 

 direct between the United States and Africa, as the table shows, and 

 this trade was nearly 100 per cent greater in 1913 than in 1912. 

 This indicates that American buyers of African mahogany are send- 

 ing direct to the country where it grows. While the imports directly 

 from Africa nearly doubled, there was a slight increase also of 

 imports via England. 



Imports from CentPal America for the same period declined slightly, 

 while those from Mexico increased in value more than forty-five per 

 cent. This is a matter of some surprise in view of the domestic 

 troubles in that country. In spite of the civil war the mahogany 

 cutters in that country seem to be able to get their logs down to 

 the coast and to sell them at a good price. 



The mahogany credited to "other countries" comes from various 

 islands of the West Indies, the northern coast of South America, 

 and from Panama. 



The imports of sawed lumber are divided in two parts, that from 

 Canada and that from other countries. A slight falling off is noted 

 in both divisions, as the following table shows: 



1912. 1913. 



Sawed lumber from Canada $16,952,635 $16,779,536 



Sawed lumber from other countries 930,413 837,051 



Totals ... $17,883,048 $17,616,587 



Loss In 1913 from 1912 $266,461 



The imports of wood pulp increased more than nine per cent, and 

 the increase was general, but greatest from Sweden, amounting in 

 that instance to thirty per cent. Canada was able to slightly in- 

 crease its shipments of pulp to this country. The table below gives 

 the itemized imports of wood pulp : 



1912. 1913. 



Wood pulp from Germany $ 2,029,377 $ 2.348,036- 



Wood pulp from Norway 3,108,850 3,657,924 



Wood pulp from Sweden 3,722,564 4.833,398 



Wood pulp from Canada 4,893,410 5,115,830- 



Wood pulp from other countries 549,017 400,329 



Totals $14,903,218 $16,355,517 



Gain in 1913 over 1912 $1,452,299- 



Value op E.xports 



The value of exports of forest products exceeds the imports three- 

 fold, and in most items the figures for 1913 show a moderate in- 

 crease over those for the preceding year. 



The total export of round logs increased slightly, but ash fell off. 

 Walnut and hickory increased. The details are given below: 



Round logs — 1912. 1913. 



Hickory $ 296,435 $ 330,911 



Oak 147,127 68,859- 



Walnut 599,099 608,695- 



All other 2,785,752 2.912,802 



Totals $3,828,4i:j $3,921,267 



Gain in 1913 over 1912 .$92,854 



Exports of square logs fell off thirteen per cent in 1913. The 

 largest item was longleaf pine, and it showed substantial increase; 

 but miscellaneous logs declined nearly eighty per cent. Hewed 

 timbers go abroad in much smaller quantity than sawed logs. The- 

 items are given in the table below: 



1912. 1913. 



Hewed timber $ 689,098 $ 879,906- 



Sawed longleaf pine timber 7,916,104 8,705,257 



All other square timber 2,920,512 537,169- 



Totals $11,626,314 $10,122,332 



Loss in 1913 from 1912 $1,503,982 



Lumber constitutes the largest item in the export of forest prod- 

 ucts, and the inerehse in 1913 over the figures for 1912 amounted to 

 about thirteen per cent. The table follows : 



Lumber— 1912. 1913. 



Cypress (half year, 1912) $ 189,261 $ 464,969- 



Fir 7,821,850 9,098,882 



Gum 2,087,206 2,657,240 



Oak 11,267,750 12,278,439 



White pine (halt of 1912) 853,543 1,612,437 



Longleaf pine 16,613,887 21,231,225 



Shortleat pine 990,498 856,825 



-Vll other pine 5,973,512 4.276,787 



Yellow poplar 1,380,648 1.566,448 



Kedwood (half of 1912) 868,873 1,458,625 



Spruce 578,142 611,496 



All other 7,350,742 6,968,351 



Totals $55,985,732 $63,081,723 



Ciain in 191.'. over 1912 $7,095,941 



