24 



HARDWOOD R E C O K D 



Krbruar)' US. ID18 



III Uis]'U!iiiij^ oi llll^ w.'isir ii:iv,' I .ur ii«ii I Moil - 



nnd in nlniojit cvcrv initancp «' aioii from tlio 



conKumor. 



Tbo Rcriousnpn* of tliin quontion hnn rvMi-ntlv njipt'nicd to our 

 nationni (jovornniont, for tlio D<<|mrtiiirni Itiiro lini« oitnb- 



lisheil a Forest Product* l,nl>orntor_v .mI Wis., iiiul oiu- 



of the prinripiU objects of tlio invciiti|;atii>nii hn* born the utilixntion 

 of timber waste and inrronning the uno of low prndon. The rpsult^ 

 of the wor|c are intended for the beneflt of the lumber convuining 

 industrr and you are privileged to niik their help on any of your 

 problenm. 



The elimination of wnitte in a factor which appenU to ine more 

 each I'.ny n» I •itiiily iiiiinufnoturini; |ir<ilileirs, iind it ofTeri) unlimited 

 liosaibilities toward the nolution of nur iliflicultieii. Thi^*, iigain, 

 suggcgtfi the importance of closer cooperation between the con- 

 sumers nnd manufacturers of lumber. Those among you who arc 

 not familiar with the operation of a sawmill cannot appreciate the 

 remarkable improvement in manufaoturinj; methods of an up-to-date 

 plant. To some extent this has been due to a natural evolution 

 and the necessity of reducing costsi, but the idea of conservation 

 has been paramount in the development of these methods. Why, 

 then, should not the consumer derive a benefit from these develop- 

 ments through a closer communion with the manufacturerT It is a 

 surprisfng fact that a large number of lumber conanming industries 

 of the present day make no attempt to compute their waste or esti- 

 mate their cost of production. The important feature with them 

 is the total production of their finished product within a specified 

 time. Quantities of stock are burned which could be utilized in the 

 production of useful articles at a profit. T consider this actually a 

 rrime, and some means of punishment should be meted out by our 

 government for such gross ami needless waste of this country 's 

 resources. 



Wc have come in contact with one case through our service 

 department, which will serve to illustrate this condition. This 

 company uses a large amount of lumber each year, and one of our 

 salesmen who calls on them regularly explained the idea of our 

 service plan. The buyer was mildly interested and agreed to con- 

 sult our special representative, so that an interview was arranged. 

 Our representative has now held three meetings with that buyer, 

 but so far has been unable to interest him. On the first visit the 

 buyer resented his suggestions and seemed to consider them a 

 reflection on his ability. The succeeding visits were a little more 

 productive, but so far the privilege of investigating their manu- 

 facturing operations has been refused. We know positively that we 

 can offer suggestions which will save money, not only in the pur- 

 chase of material, but also the waste in their production. This 

 instance is only one of many and emphasizes my former remarks 

 regarding the closer co-operation between the purchasing and operat- 

 ing departments. 



The principal factor in the waste elimination is in the selection 

 of your raw material, and this again reverts to the purchase of 

 your requirements. In this connection we must first consider the 

 kind of material best adapted. It is necessary to know what phys- 

 ical properties in the wood are most essential for the use intended. 

 This is in regard to strength, texture, grain, -weight, etc. Next, 

 the choice of grade or grades which will produce the maximum of 

 product with the minimum of waste at the least cost, and then the 

 selection of widths, lengths and thickness most economical for the 

 sizes of your cuttings. In this connection, where narrow widths 

 or short lengths are desirable, it immediatelj- reduces the initial 

 cost of your material. 



Now vrc come to the products of timber waste which may be 

 utilized to advantage. This at once offers opportunities for con- 

 servation that are unlimited. Considering these facts, who is better 

 qualified to offer constructive ideas and furnish specific informa- 

 tion in the proper understanding of these factors than the lumber 

 manufacturer whose knowledge from years of study and experience 

 enables him to proffer most valuable knowledget It is a deplorable 

 fact that we have never been given the proper consideration in 

 this respect, while in practically every other line of materials you 

 immediately call in the producer to confer on your problems. 



< Mir mutual interenls have iiiillinn-. cii >lii||tirn invented that nro 

 dependent on the great tinilur rifxiiirii-H uf thin ruiintry, ho I im|ilore 

 your enrnent eo oper.ition niul um>ii>tance to curtail thiH wholesale 

 slaughter of nature'* bounty fur the Knke of our own existence and 

 the benefit of posterity. 



Some Interesting and Optimistic Letters 



Secretary \V. II. WoUer of the Hardwood Manufnctuierh' Anso- 

 cintioii of the t'liited States, Cincinnati, C, has sent out excerpta 

 from tweiit\ five letters that he received from prominent hardwood 

 manufacturers situated in scattered producing territories. Mr. 

 Weller says, in heading the letter, that during the month of Janu- 

 ary the hardwood market showed a decided imjirovement over the 

 preceding thirty days, with more plentiful orders and stronger 

 prices. Stocks at the mill are decreasing while shipments in Janu- 

 ary were far in excess of proiluction. The flood conditions in the 

 South and Southwest made logging diflfieiilt; in fact stopjied pro- 

 duction in many points ntnl created comlitions that will maUe it 

 impossible to resume normally for several weeks. 



One manufacturer said that inquiries arc increasing during the 

 past thirty days and sales have been larger, that his company does 

 not expect to have sufficient logs to operate its mill for at least 

 thirty days. Another says "we have not been in position to accept 

 the business that we did in December for the reason that wo sold 

 up pretty close in December and could not accept near what wa» 

 offered us in the pasi thirty days." 



A third said that inquiries for lumber in the past thirty days 

 increased materially and that sales are larger each month and 

 stocks of lumber on band are diminishing considerably each mouth. 

 This company says also that it finds already a great scarcity of 

 some grades and thicknesses of lumber. This is especially so of 

 plain and quartered oak. 



Another firm writes "sales are not quite so large as they were 

 thirty days ago owing to the fact our prices are much higher and 

 our stocks much lower, wo being sold up on most of our active 

 items." 



"Stocks on hand are about ten per cent less than for the pre- 

 ceding thirty days," was reported by another firm, "with ship- 

 ments during this period of larger volume than in any previous 

 lime in the history of the business. Another company anticipates 

 much railroad business withiq the next ninety days and states it 

 is taking orders for limited amounts only, while a manufacturer 

 speaking mainly of gum says that as buyers have not yet adjusted 

 themselves to advanced prices, sales have not increased very much, 

 but a good volume of business at satisfactory prices is being car- 

 ried on. 



"Stocks are very badly broken and our mill shut down on ac- 

 count of the flood, and probably will be for the next two months, ' ' 

 writes one firm, while stUI another says that it is soliciting prac- 

 tically no business and really has nothing to sell. The writer of 

 the last statement says that in his eighteen years' experience in 

 lumber business he had never found anything approaching ths pres- 

 ent situation. 



These are typical of the statements of the twenty-five manufac- 

 turers reporting to Mr. Weller, and certainly do not leave much 

 room for pessimism. 



November Lumber Exports 



The export of forest produ. ts from the United States during 

 November of last year was about twenty-five per cent greater than 

 for the corresponding month in 191-1, but fell considerably below 

 the figure for 1913. The export of round logs increased over No- 

 vember of last year more than sixty per cent. The export of 

 square timber increased fivefold. The largest increase is credited 

 to Italy in square timber. The increase to Canada was large. 

 The increase in lumber exports was thirty per cent, and an en- 

 couraging growth is noted in exports to Oceania, but there is a 

 total absence of such exports to the Philippines. The export of 

 staves increased sixty per cent, but a notable decUne appears in 

 doors, sash, and blinds. 



