14 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



April 10, 1922 



proposal should be sanctioned unless it is mutually fair, and, on 

 the other hand, a sales code which is acceptable in essence to both 

 seller and buyer should be supported by both sides, as such recog- 

 nized prescription for proper trade practice would without ques- 

 tion tend greatly to minimize trade offenses and eliminate in a 

 measure the lack of harmony and understanding which have con- 

 tributed so greatly to unstability in hardwood markets. 



Hakdwood Eecokd has every confidence that those members of 

 the hardwood industry actively forwarding this work are anxious 

 for the sincere expression of the consuming industries in order 

 that such full proposal as may be placed before the convention 

 will represent a forward step and it becomes apparent, therefore, 

 that the consumers' best interest lies in thoroughly informing 

 themselves on just what is contemplated and is working out. 



In order that the discussion prior to action on the matter before 

 the convention may be as exhaustive and results as near final as 

 possible, both the consuming and the shipping trade should have 

 impressive representation at the convention. 



A Phase of Lumber Sales Worth Serious Thought 



HARDWOOD RECOKD HAS COXTRIBUTED A LARGE 

 AMOUNT of space over the past ten or twelve years in an 

 effort to stimulate consideration of hardwood dimensioning and 

 recognition by prospective buyers of dimension stock of the true 

 worth of that material in the average factory. Eecent special 

 inquiry sent out on the subject requesting information on certain 

 specific phases has brought in some highly interesting communica- 

 tions. One in particular is impressive and it is with regret that we 

 must refrain from publishing it in full. 



The letter is distinctly startling in its revelations of a condition 

 which may or may not be in the control of the hardwood industry, 

 but it nevertheless points a grave danger in the matter of substitu- 

 tion of woods species in the fields which have always been essen- 

 tially hardwood. This firm, for instance, has been purchasing an- 

 nually some 300,000 feet of a certain kind of hardwood lumber 

 which must be of specific lengths, anything less than fourteen feet 

 being worthless. This company recently discontinued a certain 

 source of supply that has always guaranteed stock meeting its 

 requirements, this change necessitating the purchase of this lumber 

 on the open market. It was found impossible to locate sufficient 

 permanent supplies of hardwood put up to meet necessary specifica- 

 tions peculiar to this plant, and thus inquiry was addressed to the 

 West Coast, from which source material of the required specifica- 

 tions and satisfactorily answering the purpose has been purchased. 

 As our correspondent points out it is, of course, all right for the 

 hardwood mill to adopt this attitude, but the consequence is that 

 the West Coast people, having shown their ability and willingness 

 to furnish dimension sizes, are profiting in the Middle West at the 

 exi)ense of the hardwood people. 



In the same correspondence are revealed several similar instances 

 which, while they have not yet swung this particular manufacturer 

 to substitution for hardwoods, give promise of doing so in the near 

 future. 



The remedy is suggested in the same letter, being based not on 

 this man's theory of hardwood manufacture, but on his consider- 

 able and very close contact with the operation of an extensive 

 ■hardwood sawmill. To quote: "It is obvious that manufacture is 

 growing more and more specialized in production. We have, for 



instance, turned over our entire facilities to the production of 



and are the largest manufacturers in the country devoting their 

 facilities exclusively to the production of this one line. "It would 

 seem to me that the hardwood manufacturers' organization would 

 do well to secure for users of lumber, especially those who require 

 dimension stock, an estimate basis of their annual production and 

 arrange in turn with the mills for the production of such hardwood 

 lumber as could be used by these manufacturers. Now manufac- 

 turers whose stocks have been fairly well exhausted during the 

 past j'ear or so, are coming more and more into the market, in- 

 quiring for prices and in many cases making quantity purchases 

 preparing for the revival of business which is slowly but surely 

 coming." » ♦ • 



"No manufacturer expects to buy firsts and seconds oak on 

 a strictly dimension basis on as low a price basis as he could get 

 random lengths and widths for. The manufacturer is perfectly 

 willing to pay this additional price to get this dimension stock 

 as anyone will prefer to secure a carload of material at $100, prac- 

 tically every foot of which can be used at the factory, than to pur- 

 chase a carload at $.50, iiO per cent or more of which is not even 

 worth paying the freight on." 



Without detailed analysis of the proposals contained in this let- 

 ter, it is obviously a matter for real thought among hardwood man- 

 ufacturers. The correspondent does not point a theoretical case, 

 but emphasises the concrete fact that certain extremely important 

 markets have been taken away from hardwood and delivered to 

 competing woods through the fact that these markets can not be 

 satisfied through the class of hardwood material offered for their 

 purposes. A merchandising system which will surrender important 

 markets rather than adapt itself to those markets is quite obviously 

 missing a cog in its functioning. 



The second suggestion may quite likely contain a substantial 

 degree of theory in the eyes of the hardwood manufacturer, but it is 

 nevertheless a plan which if ever effected would prove a godsend. 

 The question of determining in advance the requirements of con- 

 suming markets and then allocating production in conformity to 

 those established requirements would powerfully contribute to sta- 

 bilizing the hardwood situation. But such a system would have to 

 incorporate an unbreakable contract that would work both ways, 

 protecting the buyer on a rising market and the seller on a falling 

 market, and guaranteeing without qualification that the stock 

 ordered must be shipped and that orders accepted are unqualifiedly 

 non-cancellable. 



But the fact remains that whether such remedy is applied or not, 

 whether it is practicable or not, there have been imposing quanti- 

 ties of hardwood consumption surrendered to softwoods during 

 the past few years and very largely through inability to get service 

 from the hardwood interests. 



Table of Contents 



REVIEW AND OUTLOOK: 



General Market Conditions 13 



Regarding Sales Code 13-14 



A Phase of Lumber Sales Worth Serious Thought 14 



SPECIAL ARTICLES: 



Logging Mahogany in Tropica] West Africa 15-24 



Drying and Dry Storage of Plywood Materials 39 



Amfrican Walnut Selected for Furnishing of J. Ogden Armour's 



Office 40&50 



YARD AND KILN: 



Some Advice on Selecting and Operating a Dry Kiln 34 



Questions and Answers 34-36 



CLUBS AND ASSOCIATIONS: 



Blodgett Becomes Chief of Manufacturers M-27 & 32 



American Lumber Congress Reorganized 28 & 30 & 32 



Table Associations Are Merged 42 & 44 



Miscellaneous 36 & 38 & S5 



HARDWOOD NEWS NOTES 56-59 



HARDWOOD MARKET 59-61 



CLASSI FIED ADVERTISEMENTS 64-65 



ADVERTISERS' DIRECTORY 63 



HARDWOODS FOR SALE 66-69 



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