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Hardwood Record — Veneer & Panel Section 



March 25. 1921 



Consumption of American Walnut 



The following valuable statements relative to the estimated con- 

 sumption of American walnut, and the production of veneers in the 

 year 1920, are contained in U. S. Forest Service Bulle'tin No. 909, 

 written by Warren D. Bush: 



It is somewhat difficult to determine the total amount of walnut 

 timber used annually, because of the fluctuation from year to year. 

 Conditions prevailing during the war added greatly to the normal 

 demand. The total demand for walnut is made up almost entirely 

 of logs for export, logs for conversion into lumber and veneer, and 

 timber for use as railway ties, posts and fuel. On account of its 

 high value, little walnut is used in rough building construction. 

 Prior to the war the exportation of logs amounted to 7 to 1 2 million 

 board feet, equivalent to between 8 and 1 5 million of board feet of 

 lumber; logs used for veneer amounted to IVi to 4 million board 

 feet, equivalent to 3 to 5 million board feet of lumber; and the total 

 lumber cut was probably between 40 and 50 million board feet. 

 This makes a total annual use of 5 1 to 70 million board feet, exclu- 

 sive of the wood used for ties and fuel. The years 1911 and 1912 

 may be taken as representative of average years. The statistics for 

 these years show an annual demand as follows: 



Logs exported from the United States (1912), 9.82 million 

 board feet; equivalent in lumber to about 12 million board feet. 



Logs manufactured into veneer in the United States (1911), 

 4.12 million board feet; equivalent in lumber to about 5 million 

 board feet. 



Lumber production in the United States, estimated at 50 million 

 board feet. 



Total, 67 million board feet. 



Reports of wood-using factories in the United States during the 

 years from 1909 to 1913 show a total annual use of about 24 

 million board feet of black walnut lumber and veneer for the manu- 

 facture of various products. As about 55 million board feet of 

 luniber and veneer were manufactured annually in the United 

 States in 1911 and 1912, the diflference of 31 million board feet 

 represents exportations, which wrere almost altogether in the form 

 of lumber. The amount of walnut used for ties, posts and fuel is 



difficult to estimate, but is small, compared with the total for all 

 purposes. 



During the war the demand amounted to about 90 million board 

 feet annually. In 1918 the total lumber production was about 100 

 million board feet, which was cut for war purposes. There was no 

 exportation of logs and practically no veneer was produced that 

 year. 



The home demand for walnut at present is comparatively great 

 on account of the marked increase in its use for cabinetwork. The 

 total future demand depends very largely on the extent to which 

 exportations approach or exceed the amounts sent abroad before 

 the war. 



Production of Veneer 



Relative to the production of walnut veneer in the year 

 1920. the bulletin quotes an estimate of 100.000.000 

 square feet. The bulletin goes on to say that the "increase 

 in the production of veneer in recent years is greater than 

 the log consumption figures indicate, for the amount of 

 veneer obtained now is much greater from the same num- 

 ber of feet, log scale, largely because of the cutting of 

 thinner veneer. For instance, in 1906, from 5,121,000 

 board feet of logs, 67.184.000 square feet of veneer was 

 produced, or 1 3 square feet of veneer to one board foot of 

 log; but in 1917 and 1919 the ratio of square feet of 

 veneer to board feet of logs, log scale, was about 20 to 1 . 

 TTie estimated 1919 production was nearly double the 

 reported production of 1916, and the estimated log con- 

 sumption of 1919 was only about 9 per cent greater than 

 the reported consumption of 1906." 



Ryan on Furniture Values 



"Furniture prices now are on a replacement basis, values can 

 not go any lower and in many cases prices are below the actual 

 cost of production," declared J. T. Ryan, High Point, N. C, when 

 he addressed more than 1 00 delegates attending .'.le National Coun- 

 cil of Furniture Associations at the Hotel Sinton, Cincinnati, O., 

 on March 1 5 and 1 6. Mr. Ryan, who is secretary of the council, 

 further stated that the furniture industry has passed through the 

 worst of its depression. There is a tendency to a change in furni- 

 ture designs, he said. 



"The public wants something new. Furniture is like the styles 

 of feminine wearing apparel. Just what new styles will be brought 

 out is difficult to forecast before the market opens in July. 1 be- 

 lieve the English designs v/ill be replaced by the American designs," 

 concluded Mr. Ryan. 



Ashton P. Derby of Gardner, Mass., who presided at the meetings, 

 stated that the work of the council was to coordinate the different 

 sections of the furniture industry. 



Associations represented at the conference were: The Southern 

 Furniture Manufacturers* Association, Central Bureau of Dining 

 Table Manufacturers, National Association of Piano Bench and 

 Stool Manufacturers, National Association of Chair Manufacturers, 

 National Alliance of Case Goods Associations and Kitchen Cabinet 

 Manufacturers' Association. 



National Council of Furniture Manufacturers, which met in Cin- 

 cinnati, O., March 14 and 15. The resolution urged the manu- 

 facturers to take stock and draw off a balance sheet on June 1, in 

 order to reveal actual losses sustained during the first five months 

 of this year. Stock, it was resolved, should be taken on replace- 

 ment value. "It is the firm belief of the council that a full realiza- 

 tion of the loss sustained from non-production and the ever-present 

 burden will tend more than anything else to stabilize the July 

 market," the resolution concluded. 



M. Wulpi of Chicago, commissioner for the Central Bureau of 

 Furniture Manufacturers, attended the meeting. 



Furniture Makers Hope to Stabilize Market 



A resolution ^vhich they hope will result in effecting conditions 

 that will stabilize the July furniture market, were adopted by the 



Reduces Costs and Gets Orders 



One Louisville veneer manufacturer v\rho also produces panels 

 reports that as a result of reduction in operating costs he has been 

 able to enter the market and secure business on lower competitive 

 prices, he having cut officers* salaries fifty per cent and all factory 

 labor twenty per cent. Of course the officers will share better in 

 profits on the year under reduced salaries. The men were told 

 that it was a question of operating part time, and probably closing 

 down if business did not improve, v^hereas with lower overhead 

 costs, the company could go out and get business. Attention was 

 also called to lower living costs, and the wage reduction went into 

 effect without any trouble whatever, as competing plants are 

 operating only part time, and there is no demand for labor of this 

 type. At the same time there have been numerous reductions in 

 wages in other industrial plants, one concern having cut thirty per 

 cent, calmly telling its men that it would either cut or close down, 

 and the men realizing that the company didn*t have much business, 

 and didn*t need to operate, accepted the cuts. 



