The movement of logs in the Xfempliiii ti'rritorv is kumii'wIiiiI .. 

 Ktricted nt presoiit. This inforuiiition ix fiittieroil from liimlM>rmon 

 tliomsolvos nnii is oonfirmeil \i\ ofliciiils of llio Valley Lou Loinliu); 

 Comiumy. The latter states that there is eoniparatively little tiinlier 

 offere<l for loailin); on the Ya/.oo & Mississippi Valley line of the 

 IllinoiM Central anil on the MemphisMariaiina rut off of the St. Lonis, 

 Iron Mountain & S<jutliern, on both of whieh it operates. There has 

 been unusual con^ervutism amon|<; owners of stumpajje in the South 

 during the past year regardinj; eutting tiinl>or nnd working it up 

 into lumU'r under conditions prevailing. The recent deeision of the 

 Interstate Commeree Conunission allowing higher rates on oak ami 

 gum from points in the South to Ohio river crossings and thence in to 

 Central Freight Association territory has increased the disposition 

 to go slowly in getting out timtier, with particular reference to gum, 

 which has l>cen more seriously hit than any other item by the higher 

 freight rates allowed by the commission. The movement of timber 

 for a long time has been relatively small coni|)ared with the corre- 

 sponding time last year but it is highly probable that there will be a 

 relative increase very shortly because, after the first of September 

 last year, there was almost a cessation of tindier cutting as well as 

 the haniiling of logs becau.se of conditions imposed by the European 

 war. Howe>T!r, although a relative gain is jiromiscd, there is nothing 

 to indicate that there will be any intrinsically large movement of 

 timber in the near future unless there is a distinct improvement iu 

 the demand for hardwood lumber and also a sufficient increase in 

 prices to bring about a more profitable basis. 



Although there is no large business doing in southern hardwoods 

 aside from some of the specialties which are going to Europe in 

 considerable volume, the situation is regarded as measurably better 

 than at this time last year. A considerable ipiantity of lumber is 

 being sold to England and the allies for use in manufacturing aero- 

 planes and general artillery equipment as well as in the buihling of 

 bridges, trenches and other structures used in coiuiectibn with the 

 active military campaign. The war broke out at about this time in 

 1914 and, while exporters today are loading considerable quantities of 

 oak, gum and ash for delivery to Europe, last year they were doing 

 everything in their power either to trace shipments which were on the 

 ocean and get them into ports of safety or they were doing every- 

 thing they could to stop the movement of cargoes from ports in the 

 United States. Export business at no time during the past twelve 

 months has been anything like normal but recently there has been a 

 decided increase and the situation from an export standpoint is 

 appreciably better now than at any time since the war broke out. 

 So much for the export situation as compared with the same time 

 last year. 



From a domestic standpoint, conditions are also considerably im- 

 proved. There was then complete demoralization in practically every 

 direction. With the outbreak of war last year demand for lumber 

 dropped to extremely small proportions because nobody knew where 

 he stood. There has been, during this period, a gradual return in 

 the direction of normal, and, while this goal has not yet l)cen reached, 

 the situation is perhaps more wholesome today than at any time dur- 

 ing in the .past twelve montlis. Huyers are still showing a disposition to 

 operate conser\-atively and there is a general alisence of aggressive 

 tactics on their part. The fact remains, however, that considerable 

 quantities of lumber are being sold in domestic outlets and that prices 

 are somewhat more satisfactory than a year ago. Financial conditions 

 are in striking contrast with those prevailing last August and many 

 industries which considered it wise to close down when the war broke 

 cot have resumed. 



Every manufacturer of southern hardwoods last year at this time 

 was considering the advisability of closing down his plant as soon 

 as the timber on hand was converted into lumber. It was necessary 

 for some of the mills to run for two or three weeks and for others 

 to operate for two or three months to prevent losses through deteri- 

 oration in timber itself. Toward the first of the new year, there was 



.. 14 1. .:>!.•;. toward resumption of ojai. .:..:.. .md thin ImM increased 

 somewhat since that time. However, the fact renuiinH that a great 

 miuiy of the mills are running on considerably reduced schedules 

 while a few ha\x? never reaumed :il nil. It nuiy therefore be sniil tlutt, 

 while production is more nearly imrmal now that at any time since 

 the war broke out, it is still considerably short of that nuirk. I'repa- 

 rations are being made for nniniii'iiituring operations on a somewhat 

 larger scale in some (juarters and it would not l>e surprising in the 

 early winter to see the output of lumber in the southern hardwood 

 territory appreciably larger than at present. However, it is prac- 

 tically certain, according to members of the trade here, that nuiiiufac 

 turing operations will be in proportion to the improvement in the 

 demand for lumber as well as the prices obtainable therefor. 



During the TriState fair, which will be held at MempliiN in Sep- 

 tember, an effort will be made to create a sentiment anuuig retail 

 merchants iu favor of demanding that the goods which they purchase 

 bo packed in boxes made of wood instead of paste board, fibre, straw- 

 board and other materials. The box manufacturers are directly back 

 of this movement but they are strongly supported by the owners of 

 gum and Cottonwood stumpnge throughout Mississippi, Arkansas and 

 Tennessee, the three states to bo represented at this fair. The argu- 

 ment will be made that the goods will be received in more siitisfactory 

 condition if packed in wooden cases and that the demands of mer- 

 chants for wooden packages will increase the use of these containers 

 and thus aid the nmnufacturers of gum and cottonwood. 



Veneer Can Be Too Dry 



A recent experience of one of the most prominent and efficient 

 veneer manufacturers in the country shows a wide field for misunder- 

 standing and error on the part of users of veneer in the handling of 

 stock. This company has a large customer in its own town and has 

 been iu the habit Of giving just the service that was desired in the 

 way of delivery. It happened a short time ago that the company 

 wanted a line of drawer bottoms in a hurry and in endeavoring to 

 fill the needs the veneer company sent over some stock that had just 

 come from the drier without having had time to thoroughly cool off. 

 Part of it went into the line in which it was to be manufactured and 

 in a short time the plant manager called up the veneer company's 

 office saying the veneer was no good, that he expected it would not 

 be as it was still warm when it came over and that it was not prop- 

 erly dried and was twisting out of shape. The veneer man knowing 

 the fault did not lie in the veneer hastened to question his customer. 

 It seemed that the stuff had been used up almost as soon as it came 

 in, had been put into place and the articles finished while the veneer 

 was iu the condition in which it liad come from the drier. In other 

 words, it was too dry. It had been reduced to a state of extreme 

 dryness and the natural cause was that the moisture content was 

 considerably below the moisture content of the surrounding air. How- 

 ever, as the stuff was fastened into place while it was still warm it had 

 not had time to absorb the moisture due to its heated condition, which 

 was practically impossible. Gradually as it cooled off after being put 

 into place the moisture was reabsorlied up to the normal moisture con- 

 tent and there was only one thing for it to do, and that was swell 

 until it twisted out of shape. 



In other words, the cause was indirectly the result of too great a 

 hurry on the part of the manufacturer and directly the result of the 

 inability of the veneer to absorb moisture to a normal percentage 

 while still warm. 



When the mills and factories are not crowded with work is the 

 time to make improvements in the plant and put in new machinery. 



The farm woodlot as a factor in the future lumber supply be- 

 speaks a greater dependence upon hardwood in the future, for 

 most of the farm woodlots are of hardwoods. 



—26b— 



