16 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



December 10, 11121 



Latin-America Buys More Oak 



Of the Tvoi-ld markets for American oak lumber tlic only ones 

 showing an increase for 1920 over the pre-war years of 1912, 1913 

 and 1914 were South America — Argentina, Chile, Peru and Uruguay 

 —Spain and British South Africa. For the past nine months, end- 

 ing September 30, Argentina is the only country to sliow an 

 increase over the corresponding period for 1920. 



Because hardwoods were not segregated in customs' export 

 figures prior to 1912, because of the war years of 1914 to 1918, and 

 because of the abnormal market conditions of 1919 and 1920, it is 

 impossible to get an unwarped picture of foreign hardwood markets 

 by which to gauge future prospects. Certain salient features, 

 however, present themselves, and it is to these that especial atten- 

 tion is directed. In such markets as the United Kingdom, Holland, 

 Belgium, Spain, France and Italy, American hardwoods are fairly 

 well known, though there is an excellent opportunity to extend 

 that knowledge, to counteract prejudices existing against certain 

 of our woods and to introduce others heretofore unknown. There 

 are a few export markets which almost might be considered pioneer 

 — countries of great natural resources, whose industrial develop- 

 ment, hardlj' antedating the present generation, has been phenom- 

 enal. Without discounting the older foreign fields, attention is 

 particularly directed to Latin America— especiallj' Argentina, Peru, 

 Chile, Uruguay and Mexico — and the British Union of South Africa. 

 The accompanying diagrams, showing our oak exports to South 

 Africa and South America, indicate the growth of these exports 

 during the past nine years, suggesting further and more intensive 

 cultivation. 



The Union of South Africa, a pioneer countrj' with great mineral 

 and agi-icultural resources, whose people are most virile and pro- 

 gressive, offers a fertile field for American hardwoods. That its 

 growth has been remarkable is shown by the fact that the first 

 fifty-seven miles of railway were constructed in 1857 and today 

 there are over 9,000 miles of open line, serving a territory of 472,730 

 square miles, four times the area of England, Ireland and Scotland. 

 and carrying, in 1914, 42.000,000 passengers and 12,000,000 tons of 

 freight. South Africa spent in 1914 over $3,000,000 in the main- 

 tenance of its 30,000 coaches and freight vans, showing that rail- 

 way car construction alone offers a considerable opportunity for 

 hardwoods. 



Aside from railway construction, the chief opening for American 

 woods lies in housing, furniture, vehicles and agricultural imple- 



ments, the largest of these industries being building construction 

 with its accompanying interior finish and trim. The increase in 

 building material imports in 1920 over 1919 was over £3,000,000. 

 Of the total wood imports in 1920 — logs, timbers and lumber — the 

 United States supplied 22 per cent, and of the total hardwoods 81 

 per cent. 



South Africa's Wood Imports 

 The following figures are taken from the 1920 '-Annual State- 

 ment," issued by the Department of Customs and Excise of the 

 Union of South Africa, and show the wood imports from the United 

 States: 



1920 1919 1918 1917 



Oak 3,998 



Hickory 52 



Poplar 560 



Walnut 294 



Pine 26,073 



Spruce 149 



All other rough 338 



Flooring and ceiling 64 



Other planed and grooved.... 660 



Total wood 32,208 1.5,008 21,968 17,615 



The Union is almost entirely dependent upon import for its lum- 

 ber requirements, being deficient in timber resources. In 1913, the 

 last normal year, it imported about 210,000 M feet. With the 

 natural increase in population, extension of irrigation and agricul- 

 ture and the developments of industries and railways, it is safe to 

 assume that it will not be long before the Union will consume 

 400,000 M board feet per annum. From 60,000 M to 70,000 M feet 

 will he hardwoods, of which the United States must supply 75 per 

 cent to 80 per cent. 



American White Oak Trade 

 The most popular furniture wood in the South African market is 

 white oak. A few years ago Japan was a serious competitor for 

 this oak trade. In 1917 imports of Japanese stock were three times 

 those from North America, but in 1920 amounted to only 20 per 

 cent. 



The Union's furniture and woodworking industries have been 

 growing very rapidly, the demand for hardwood finish and high 

 grade furniture having greatly increased, the call being so large at 



PER. CE-^T OT QUA^^TITY 



Diagram 2— Exports of gum lumber from the United States, nine years, 1912-1920 



