April 10, 1916 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



15 



grow wherever farming is done, and there are often steep, stony, 

 or swampy corners where trees will prosper better than any other 

 crop. Large numbers of farmers are growing their own timber, 

 but many are not doing it. The production of a crop of fence posts 

 is simple, and it does not require the long time necessary for grow- 

 ing saw timber. 



No matter in what part of the United States a farm is situated 

 several kinds of trees suitable for posts will grow there. The 

 following species are on the list. Any of the numerous cedars 

 of this country; any species of locust; chestnut, catalpa, osage 

 orange, white oak, sassafras. All of these resist decay a long time 

 without artificial preservative treatment. They grow with fair 

 rapidity, and the better the soil the faster they grow. 



The natural forests of the country still supply all the posts 

 needed, and can continue to do so for years, but the first cost and 

 the freight charges on long hauls make them quite expensive by 

 the time they reach the farmer. Individual orders for as many as 

 100,000 posts have gone from Illinois to Oklahoma, and orders 

 of equal size have gone from Nebraska. This is legitimate trade 

 and no one should find fault with it, except that farmers might 

 grow their own posts and leave forest-grown timber for other uses, 

 where it is all needed now or will be shortly. 



The farmer's woodlot need not be restricted to growing posts. 

 It might grow saw timber also to finish the fence, and some be- 

 sides for new buildings. Advocates of forestry and conservation 

 would do well to push their propaganda work along that line. It 

 is a field that offers great possibilities. 



Value of Statistics 



TT IS NOT AN UNUSUAL THING to hear persons speak in 

 *■ contemptuous terms of statistics, and condemn them as use- 

 less and impracticable. These same persons, if they are success- 

 ful business men, would not condemn or ignore an inventory or 

 stock list of their own property. The merchant takes stock and 

 the list is interesting to him, and he would not undertake to do 

 business without it. 



Statistics compiled by large associations or by the government 

 are simply inventories of assets and liabilities; only lists of 

 what was on hand at the last stock taking. Those who would 

 have a comprehensive view of large affairs can no more afford 

 to despise such statistics than they can afford to ignore the lists 

 of stock on hand in their own business. It is perhaps too much 

 to expect every man to take an active interest in general affairs 

 which do not immediately concern him; but he might, at least, 

 show interest in his own special line. 



But to come to a concrete instance on a large scale of the 

 value of statistics, it is only necessary to cite Germany at the 

 present time. The letters of Carolyn Wilson and other correspon- 

 dents who have recently traveled in that country tell a wonderful 

 story of the practical value of schedules of assets — in other 

 words, statistics. In its present unfortunate situation Germany 

 finds itself surrounded by enemies and cut off from the rest of 

 the world. It must depend upon itself for everything it uses. 

 The problem of maintaining sufficient resources to meet vital 

 needs is as serious as ever confronted a large nation. 



What did the Germans do? The first step was to make a 

 complete inventory of their entire resources; a thorough set of 

 statistics. They listed the last ton of potatoes, the last bale of 

 ha}', bushel of wheat, rye, oats, the beets, the butter, the timber, 

 horses, paper, coal — in short, everything that concerned the food, 

 clothes, and existence of the people. The next step was to 

 apportion these resources equitably among all the people so that 

 not one individual failed to get his share, and not one pound 

 went where it was not needed. 



Here is seen the most pointed and practical lesson on the value 

 of statistics that the world has ever witnessed. 



Can we learn anything from it? It is to be hoped that we 

 shall never be called upon to learn the lesson in the severe school 

 of experience the Germans have, but American business men 

 ought to be able to profit by it. From the government down 



through large commercial associations and business corporations, 

 to private business men, the value of taking stock ought to be 

 better understood; and once understood, the knowledge should be 

 turned to account. When we know what we have on hand, we 

 can better figure out what to do with it. Values and prices can 

 be fixed and regulated. Statistics and forecasts of the cotton, 

 tobacco, and wheat crops are of great value to those doing busi- 

 iness in those commodities, because they can shape their transac- 

 tions in accordance with known facts. 



Lumbermen and dealers in forest products are entitled to the 

 same kind of information in their line. The government is work- 

 ing to get it. For the first time in the history of this country, 

 the annual lumber cut is being published while it is fresh and 

 while it has value to the limiber dealer. Heretofore, the statistics 

 of lumber output were not published until they were from one to 

 two years old. This year the figures are coming out already for 

 1915. Users of lumber now know what the supply is, and they 

 can figure on cost, price, and distribution. 



It is to be regretted that the government does not extend its 

 yearly stock taking to include cooperage, veneers, tanning mate- 

 rials, poles, crossties, wood distillation, and naval stores, in the 

 same way that it compiles figures on lumber. Such an extension 

 would be a great help to men engaged in those lines. 



History May Repeat 



AN INTERESTING CHAPTER IN RED GUM'S HISTORY may 

 be repeated, with a slight variation of circumstances. Some 

 years ago this wood was in great demand in England for street 

 paving blocks. The introduction of Jarrah, an Australian wood, 

 crowded it out of that market. Contractors who were left with 

 stocks of gum on hand were compelled to seek new markets in 

 order to save themselves. They were successful in finding Amer- 

 ican markets for their gum, and that was the real beginning of 

 this wood 's popularity at home. It more than recouped in the 

 United States what it lost as paving wood beyond the sea. Its 

 loss in one quarter was turned to permanent gain in another. 



The repetition which seems to be coming promises a further 

 extension of the use of gum, not in order to make good in one 

 place what it has lost in another, but to capture ground which 

 another wood is losing on account of prohibitive freight rates. 

 The wood for which gum is in a fair way to become a substitute 

 is mahogany. It is not likely to become an imitation of mahogany, 

 but to take that wood's place for certain purposes. 



There is plenty of mahogany in the woods, but it is in Africa 

 and Spanish America, and war business has advanced freights to 

 such a point that mahogany is no longer crossing the water. 

 Ships to carry it cannot be had. 



The result is beginning to appear in the United States. Users 

 of mahogany, whose supplies are running very low, are looking 

 for some wood to take its place for high-class furniture and 

 finish. Red gum and black walnut are considered favorably. 

 There is no question that enough gum can be had; but the sup- 

 plies of walnut have been so heavily drawn upon for war pur- 

 poses that some prospective users fear that they cannot get all 

 the}" want. 



Mahogany has been so long before the public, and its qualities 

 are so well known and its uses so firmly established, that manu- 

 facturers who have been accustomed to use it will regret to change 

 to another; but if force of circumstances compels a change to 

 others, it is fortunate that this country is so well provided with 

 excellent woods to take its place. A story is being told that a 

 large importer of African mahogany, not being able to obtain 

 supplies, bought a ship and sent it to West Africa for this wood. 

 Arriving on the African coast he discovered that he could make 

 so much more money hauling freight for others than by carrying 

 logs for himself, that he put his ship to work carrying munitions, 

 and left his mahogany in Africa. Under circumstances such as 

 these it is easily understood that little mahogany will arrive in 

 this country until conditions change; and appropriate native woods 

 will be called upon to meet increased demands. 



