18 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



Decpiuber 10. 1921 



Tience more perfect matching of grain and tigure can be secured. 

 This, however, is more than offset by the large waste on which a 

 ligh freight must be paid to distant markets. Exporters should 

 make the most of this, pointing the value to potential buyers of 

 securing a grade of clean prime, uniform in thickness, evenly edged, 

 and with waste reduced to a minimum. This, together with the 

 high average in widths and lengths, and the possibility of securing 

 selected figure and texture because of large stocks, should place 

 American oak in a strong position. 



Outside of the ITnitpd Kingdom our northern woods are little 



H 

 H 



w 



O 



19f2 19IJ 1914 



UI3 



19IG 



1917 



1918 1919 



1920 



Diagram 4 — Exports of oak lumber from United States to South America and 

 British Africa, 1912-1920 



known abroad. To introduce birch, elm, maple, to educate foreign 

 buyers and consumers to their virtues, requires time and money, 

 but the effort will be well rewarded. When architects, furniture 

 -designers and the general public realize their beauty and utilitarian 

 value, a clientele will be developed which can be counted upon to 

 take an evergrowing volume. 



How to Augment Flooring Sales 

 The United Kingdom has been almost our only foreign market 

 for hardwood flooring, the duty on planed lumber in many coun- 

 tries being prohibitive. "With the exception of oak, which is used 

 for flooring in only the finest homes and public buildings, our hard- 



wood flooring has been exported for factory purposes. Maple, birch 

 and beech flooring are well known in England and thoroughly appre- 

 ciated, yet, in general, only the clear grades are purchased and 

 these for factory use. Furthermore, the sizes demanded do not 

 conform to American practice. A campaign to educate buyers to 

 the value and saving in the lower grades and the narrower, Amer- 

 ican widths should bear fruit. 



In seeking foreign markets for hardwoods exporters should make 

 ;i careful study of the countries they wish to cultivate. It is a 

 waste of time and money to attempt sales where the natural hard- 

 wood resources are large and varied. It is useless, for instance, to 

 attempt the introduction of American oak in Serbia, whose native 

 oak resources are large and of high quality, yet such an attempt 

 was made recently by an American oak manufacturer. 



While there is nothing mysterious about the export trade, yet 

 certain customs and ethics must be observed. The lines between 

 agents, brokers, merchants and consumers are carefully drawn in 

 most countries, and, to build up a lasting trade, must be followed. 

 On the whole, however, the prime requisites for securing and hold- 

 ing such trade are uniform quality and uniform service. A certain 

 grade, a brand once established, will remain in demand only so long 

 as the quality is uniformly maintained. In some respects export 

 trade is more desirable than domestic. High type foreign brokers 

 and merchants liave ever shown a desire to remain constant to their 

 American connections. 



American hardwood firms are fast learning to appreciate the 

 dollar value of a permanent foreign trade. Many are reserving 

 each year a )>ortion of their stock for export, and irrespective of 

 export quotations being below the domestic, these firms are accept- 

 ing the apparent loss, knowing that in the long run they will be 

 the gainers. As general economic conditions adjust themselves, 

 American hardwoods will resume not only their former place in 

 world markets, but will broaden their field. There is an excellent 

 opportunity for intensive foreign salesmanship — a deeper cultiva- 

 tion of old markets, a careful survey of new. Now is the time for 

 ])I;niting, 



U. S. Lumber Cut Decreased In 1920; Western 

 States Alone Show Increases 



The lumber cut of the United States in ISllilJ was 33,798,800,000 

 feet, which is 2.2 per cent less than in 1919, and 27 per cent less 

 than the peak in 1907. 



The average price of lumber at the mill increased to $38.42 per 

 thousand, which is a rise of 150 per cent since 1910. The aggre- 

 gate value of the cut is $1,299,000,000. These are the highest 

 annual valuations ever recorded, but do not indicate present condi- 

 tions. They merely reflect the extremely high peak in the post- 

 war lumber prices which was passed in the first quarter of 1920. 



These are the principal statistics obtained by the Forest Service, 

 United States Department of Agriculture, in its 1920 canvass of 

 American sawmills. They are based upon reports from 15,978 

 active mills out of 23,243 estimated to have been in operation. 

 Several thousand mills cutting less than 50,000 feet were not 

 tabulated, though allowance was made for their cut. Comparisons 

 with 1919 are published by permission of the Bureau of the Census, 

 United States Department of Commerce. 



The tables show that the States which increased their cut are 

 all in the Pacific Coast group and the Eocky Mountains. Wash- 

 ington is first, as usual. Oregon attains second place for the first 

 time, displacing Louisiana from a position held for 15 years, while 

 California takes rank among the first five, displacing another 

 southern yellow pine State. 



In 1920 the Pacific and Eocky Mountain groups of States, com- 

 bined, produced 35.6 per cent of the cut. The eight States of the 

 southern pine group produced 34 per cent, while all of the rest 

 of the United States produced 30.4 per cent. 



