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Will Oak Be Next In Favor? ^ 



I ri.' tr;i.|o 111 its prcsoiit «tato of miiikI in liii' iimiiir m 



fa\ : ,roiit woods iniiy bo likciii-il ii little unto u Imrbcr who 



is at ibe nUiKi' wlicrc lie is jiuttin); tliu finiHliin); touclicH on ono ciis- 

 tomvr 1111(1 is about ready to look up iiiul say "next." In other 

 wordx, Uie furniture world jioeinii ripe for a cliance, not a cuiiiplftt- 

 and an entire clinn|;c, but a turning to and a takini; up of Honie indi- 

 vidual wood to iiiuko a special feature of until the novelty wears off. 

 The intereBting question to tlio hardwood industry, especially to the 

 oak division of it is, "Will oak be nextt" 



The indications arc that oak has a good chance to be next to the 

 extent that it will run higher in favor in the furniture trade than 

 for some years past. Oak has always held an important jducc in 

 the cabinet and furniture world; in fact, it is easily tlio most impor- 

 tant of our native cabinet woods and has been important in the fur- 

 niture industry back practically as for as the history of industry goes. 

 Not only is this true in this country, but abroad also, where we have 

 gone to revive many of the old periods in furniture and where lately 

 ■ome of our own furniture manufacturers are reported to have se- 

 cured oak l)eanis several hundred years old from English buildings 

 to be reworked into fine period furniture. The main trouble with 

 oak during the past few years has been that it has suffered from 

 neglect. It has been neglected not only by the furniture trade which 

 has been showering favors on mahogany, Circassian walnut, gum and 

 our own native black walnut, to say nothing of maple and birch, but 

 the oak people themselves have neglected to keep it in the limelight 

 by persistent boosting as has been done by those interested in push- 

 ing other cabinet woods. 



The effect of wide and persistent ex])loitation has been pretty well 

 demonstrated by the advocates of other cabinet woods, the latest 

 example being in connection with black walnut, which has been 

 brought back into high favor aiter years of apparent retirement from 

 any active part as a strong feature in furniture making. 



That the oak people can do much to secure favors for oak and to 

 extend its use in the furniture world by a broad, persistent campaign 

 of exploitation, there is no question. Moreover, from the general 

 appearance of things in the lumber and furniture world, 'he present 

 time offers better opportunities for effective work of this kind than 

 have been presented for many years. 



The furniture trade itself, as indicated in the beginning of this 

 article, is in a receptive attitude. It likes to change its favors, likes to 

 get newness and novelty to arouse interest and have some fresh talk- 

 ing points. The changes in furniture, both as to design and to 

 the woods that run high in favor for certain periods, are a little 

 suggestive of changes of fashion in dress and in millinery. The 

 changes are not so radical nor do they come so rapidly, but it is 

 evident to those who observe the shifting scenes in the furniture 

 world that changes come and that furniture manufacturers get rest- 

 less after pursuing one line of work with some particular wood. 



Another factor that enters is the availability of raw material. The 

 threatened scarcity, for example, in Circassian walnut sets furniture 

 manufacturers to looking around for something else to feature lest 

 they suddenly find themselves short of raw material. To an extent, 

 the same idea holds with regard to black walnut and this is one of 

 the factors that is causing furniture manufacturers to look around a 

 little now and speculate on the matter of what next. 



Another contributing factor is in the strong favors shown period 

 styles, toward the reproduction in modified form, especially of cer- 

 tain of the old English patterns. Many of the best of these were 

 done in oak, so the ten^lency to reproduce them in modified form 

 naturally turns the thoughts of manufacturers toward this wood. 



Another thing worthy of passing notice in this connection is the 

 incident of what might be termed the closing act in the practice of 

 exploiting the printed imitation of quartered oak as ' ' American quar- 

 tered oak. " It is a pity that anything of this kind was ever started 

 because, as was predicted some time ago when the practice was at 

 its height, its tendency was to debase the real quality of quartered 

 oak and cause it to lose favor. Besides all that, it was advertised 



lalsely unilcr tiii- iiainr ui American quartered oak, and was not oak 

 at all, while the real American quartered oak is one of the finest 

 woods in the world. This practice has been brought to an end. The 

 matter has been brought to the atti'iition of the Associated Adver- 

 tisers' Clubs as furnishing a chance to make an example of truth- 

 fulness in advertising by eliminating this jiractice. At this writing 

 the practice has Ixien almost entirely eliiiiinateii and there will prob- 

 ably not be any more of it except in u few isolated cases and these 

 will likely soon be brought to light. 



As one important manufacturer of quartered oak with whom this 

 subject was discussed said that now is the right time, following on 

 the heels of this incident which has brought the subject of oak in 

 the limelight, to start ami maintain a broad and comprehensive cam- 

 paign of advertising the real American oak. 



Supply is always a factor, and today the situation in the oak 

 trade, because of curtailment in the foreign demand, is such that 

 there is available for the domestic furniture manufacturers a better 

 supply of both plain and quartered oak at better prices than will 

 likely obtain again soon. When the war in Europe is ended and 

 trade there resumes its natural course, the demand for oak from 

 abroad will enter again and domestic consumers will likely have to 

 pay more and will have less opportunity to select just what they 

 want. This makes the present time the great opportunity for the 

 furniture manufacturing world to make a strong feature of oak, in 

 new and different designs, if they will put oak, both plain and quar- 

 tered, as a conspicuous wood in the furniture world, with beneficial 

 results to themselves, to the oak lumber fraternity and to the general 

 public which buys furniture, because from a strict measure of 

 beautv and utility there is really nothing much superior to oak. 



Traffic Developments 



III :ill probability, an extension of time will be granted by the 

 Interstate Commerce Commission in which replies may be filed to 

 the questions asked in the matter of rates on and classification of 

 lumber and lumber products. The series of questions asked in the 

 commission's docket, number 8131, dated August 2, call for ex- 

 tensive research. A large number of the lumber associations through- 

 out the country have advised the commission that it will be impossible 

 to make response before October l."), which was the limit set. 



It is understood that the commission regards these protests favor- 

 ably and it is expected that a longer time will be allowed. Most of 

 the protests specify January 1 as a proper date for limitation. 



No protest has been made by a carrier. It is understood the car- 

 riers are willing to submit answers to the questions directed at them 

 within the original limit. 



The Byrd-Matthews Company, operating at Helen, Ga., is de- 

 termined to spare no effort to obtain a readjustment of rates affect- 

 ing its shipments of hardwood lumber. Helen is situated on the head 

 waters of the Chattahoochee river. Helen falls in the territory in 

 which the rates were adjusted with those applying on Georgia pine. 

 The company claims that they should be classed with the hardwood 

 rates which apply in the district in which they operate. Under 

 present conditions it is stated that the company is not able to com- 

 pete with operators on the other side of the river. 



Incidentally, this section of the Chattahoochee river is celebrated 

 for having inspired Sidney Lanier to write his "Song of the Chat- 

 tahoochee. ' ' 



In the matter of lumber rates to Wisconsin points, which was as- 

 signed for hearing in St. Louis, Seiitember 8, a change of date has 

 been made by the commission. The hearing will be held Sept. 13. 



Oral argument in the matter of lumber rates to eastern cities will 

 be held in Washington October 14. 



The Lamb-Fish Lumber Company has filed an amendment to its 

 complaint, number 8212, against the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley 

 Railroad. The charges in the complaint are mostly technical. 



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