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HARDWOOD RECORD 



HardWood Record Jfiail 'Bag. 



[In this department it is proposed to reply 

 to such inquiries as reach this office from the 

 Hardwood Record clientage as will be of enough 

 general interest to warrant publication. Every 

 patron of the paper is invited to use this de- 

 partment to the fullest extent, and an attempt 

 will be made to answer queries pertaining to all 

 matters of interest to the hardwood trade, in 

 a succinct and intelligent manner.] 



Wants Gum Rug Poles. 

 Philadelphia, Dec. 29. — Editor Hardwood 

 Record : Can you give us the address of any 

 firm who manufactures rug poles of gum? We 

 would be glad if you would put us into com- 

 munication with some firms who are in a posi- 

 tion to furnish these square surfaced four sides. 

 with rounded corners, also all round. Thanking 

 you in advance. Company. 



The name of above inquirer will be sup- 

 plied to anyone interested. — Editor. 



Holly and Persimmon. 



Philadelphia, Dec. 26. — Editor Hardwood 

 Record: We have contracted for the output of 

 some saw mills in South Carolina, and among 

 other timber is some holly and persimmon. We 

 would like to know what this is used for. and 

 the price on it and where there is a market for 

 it. We understand that the holly is used for 

 the manufacture of woodenware, such as wooden 

 spoons, etc.. and is usually cut in the flitch 2% 

 inches and 3 inches long. We also understand 

 it is usually handled in the log. We understand 

 that persimmon is used for shuttles to some 

 extent. Any information you can give us in 

 regard to these two woods will be appreciated. 

 Lumber Company. 



The writer of the above letter has been 

 given some information regarding holly and 



persimmon, but anyone wishing to communi- 

 cate with him may do so through this office. 

 — Editor. 



Wants Oak Squares. 

 Buffalo, Dec. 2S. — Editor Hardwood Record : 

 \\ i use a good many oak squares, such as 2x2- 

 30-inch and different thicknesses and lengths, 

 and the thought occurred to us that possibly 

 you could give us the names of a number of 

 mills which get out this class of work. If you 

 can do so, we would be very much pleased to 

 have you give us a list. 



Lumber Company. 



The writer of the above inquiry has already 

 been furnished with the names of a few 

 operators who turn out oak squares, and 

 others who wish to be placed on this list or 

 who wish to know the name of the inquirer 

 should communicate with this office. — Editor. 



Rock Elm Wanted. 



A prominent Philadelphia house writes 

 that they are in the market for several car- 

 loads of rock elm, to be 2 in., 3 iu. or 4 in. 

 in thickness; to be i in. and up wide, and 8 

 ft. to 16 ft. long, quality to be firsts and 

 seconds, though they might possibly be able 

 to use a ear or two of Xo. 1 common; grade 

 to be according to the rubs of the National 

 Hardwood Lumber Association. 



Anyone in a position to meet the above 

 requirements will be given the address of the 

 inquirer on application to this office. — 

 Editor. 



NeWs Miscellany. 



Collins Lumber Company Removal. 



The Collins Lumber Company of Charles 

 W. Va., has removed its principal office from 

 that city to Elkhurst, W. Va., postoffice address 

 Yaukee Dam. This company is a large manu- 

 facturer of oak and beech flooring, interior trim 

 and planing mill stock, and is a large exporter 

 to the Scotch and English trade. On September 

 17 the company purchased the village of Elk- 

 hurst from the Elkhurst Planing" Mill Com- 

 pany, as well as its other assets, aud the latter 

 concern will soon dissolve. The Collins Lumber 

 Company will retain a branch office in Charles- 

 ton for the transaction of local business. 



The officers are : David S. Collins, president ; 

 H. B. Davenport, vice president ; C. S. Ross, 

 treasurer ; J. O. Turner, secretary. These with 

 E. E. Kelley form the board of directors ; all at 

 pies. Mit are residents of Clay county, West Vir- 

 ginia. 



The Christmas Tree. 



The idea of utilizing the balsam fir as a 

 prominent feature of Christmas celebration is 

 a comparatively new one, having originated in 

 this country within the last score of years. 

 Holly and mistletoe have been associated with 

 Yuletide festivities since time Immemorial, but 

 the tinsel and candle bedecked tree is an inno- 

 vation of the present day. 



The unique plan of utilizing the balsam in 

 this way originated with someone who observed 

 the millions of picturesque young firs that 

 grew along the Maine coast, apparently useless 

 and valueless to the extent that the land upon 

 which they flourished was exempt from taxa- 

 tion. The first propositions to sell the little 

 trees came as a great surprise to their owners, 



but a market was sojon established and the value 

 of the Canada balsam, which grows intermingled 

 with the tip, was thereby discovered. Within 

 in years after the Christmas tree was gener- 

 ally adopted, the coast of Maine had been 

 stripped of its little balsam firs and the trade 

 had become so profitable that the farmers be- 

 wail planting new ones to continue an industry 

 which has become one of the great ones of the 

 state. Five years is required for the production 

 of a salable tree, so that a fresh crop is planted 

 >\r\y year, for marketing five years hence. So 

 rapidly did the popularity of the Christmas tree 

 increase that today over a million are annually 

 shipped to .New England and New York alone. 

 Trainloads of trees are sent to all the large 

 cities of the laud. The nurserymen realize from 

 5 to 4ii cents on each tree, and the retail price 

 is from 25 cents to ST.. varying with size and 

 symmetry. The wise farmers find it more prof- 

 itable to raise a small number of trees and 

 give them plenty of room to spread and develop 

 than to crowd a given space with all it will 

 hold, which invariably results in stunted and 

 inferior growth. An acre will yield about 5,000 

 trees. 



Cutting commences in November anil gives 

 employment to thousands who would otherwise 

 be idle during that season. The trees are 

 shipped to commission men and by them sold to 

 the hawkers, who may be seen vending them at 

 every nook and corner as the holidays approach. 

 Chicago's supply of Christmas greens and trees 

 comes largely from northern Michigan and Wis- 

 consin. 



ditions resulting from an advance in cost of 

 many vehicle materials — notably timber, iron and 

 steel — were carefully studied. The standard- 

 ization of wagon construction received an 

 equal amount of attention. Great difficulty has 

 been experienced in getting the large quantity 

 of wide lumber necessary for deep boxes, and 

 for some time boxes with the lower side con- 

 structed of more than one piece have been put 

 upon the market and thoroughly tested, with 

 the result that they have been found satisfactory 

 in every particular, where proper care has been 

 taken in building them, and found less liable 

 to warp and check. The association decided 

 that wagon boxes so constructed shall be con- 

 sidered standard. 



Conferences with lumber manufacturers con- 

 firmed the general belief that wagon makers 

 will soon be compelled to go to the forest for 

 their supplies and measures are now being taken 

 along that line. Present cost of manufacture 

 and prospective increase warrant a strong ad- 

 vance in prices, but no steps were decided upon 

 for immediate enforcement. 



Cherry River Boom & Lumber Company. 



The Cherry River Boom & Lumber Company 

 announces that it has completed arrangements 

 to handle all business from the Scranton office 

 and has reorganized the sales department. E. 

 A. Kirby assumes the position of manager of 

 sales in place of C. E. Lloyd, Jr., resigned. Mr. 

 Kirby will be assisted by A. P. Waterfleld, for- 

 merly connected with the Yellow Poplar Lumber 

 Company. A. S. Buckman will continue to look 

 after the New Jersey and Pennsylvania trade, 

 as heretofore. C. H. Holden will handle the 

 Pittsburg and West Virginia field, with head- 

 quarters at Wheeling, W. Va. G. B. Jobson 

 will look after the trade in the middle west, 

 with headquarters at Columbus, Ohio. The Phil- 

 adelphia offices will be maintained as a branch 

 and E. C. Collins will look after the trade in 

 that territory. 



In addition to the double band mills located 

 at Richwood. W. Va., and Camden on-Gauley. W. 

 Va., this company has taken over the single 

 band mill formerly operated by the Evans & 

 Curll Lumber Company at Holcomb, W. Va., 

 and it will be run as an exclusively hardwood 

 proposition. The company has enjoyed a very 

 prosperous year. The mill at Camden-on-Gauley 

 is turning out 4,000,000 feet of hardwoods per 

 month, while that at Richwood is making over 

 6,000,000 feet of spruce and hemlock. Both are 

 running day and night. 



Gum Exhibit. 



The Dressed Gum Lumber Manufacturers' Asso- 

 ciation will hold an exhibit at the meeting of the 

 Indiana Retail Lumbermen's Association which is 

 to be held at Tomlinson hall. Indianapolis, on 

 January 11 and 12. They intend to demon- 

 strate fully the possibilities of red gum as a 

 house building and interior finish wood. The 

 enterprise of the gum manufacturers is to be 

 commended. Red gum is one of the most beau- 

 tiful of woods for these purposes and is steadily 

 growing in popularity. It is only a question of 

 its becoming better known to insure very general 

 use. 



The Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen's Associ- 

 ation will meet in the same city on January 11 

 at the Grand hotel. 



The Vehicle Trade. 

 At the annual meeting of the National Wagon 

 Manufacturers' Association, held recently, con- 



Clem Lloyd's New Venture. 

 C. E. Lloyd, Jr., has opened offices at 143" 

 Land Title' building. Philadelphia, for the pur- 

 pose of handling the hardwood output of the 

 Boice Lumber Company. Inc., of Abingdon, Va.. 

 of which he is vice president, and to conduct 

 a wholesale lumber business, handling also 

 western and southern hardwoods, spruce, pine, 

 etc. With the output of fine lumber manufac- 

 tured by the Boice Lumber Company at its 

 several mills and the stock of well graded hard- 

 woods piled up in its large yards at Norfolk 



