52 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



in speaking of the general demand than those 

 who solicit business nearer home. Quartered 

 oak is moving a little better than it has been 

 but this demand is not really active. Birch is 

 firm. Whitewood has ruled steady and some 

 dealers anticipate a marked increase in demand. 

 Maple is selling well at firm prices. Walnut is 

 still in demand at high prices with oSEerings 

 limited. 



BUFFALO 



There is quite a little slowing up in the lum- 

 ber trade now, which of course is unsatisfactory. 

 Prices in most instances have not been main- 

 tained as they should have been. The demand 

 Is largely for high-grade plain oak. The former 

 call for maple continues. Poplar is quiet, there 

 being many substitutes for it in the market. 

 Basswood is more active than formerly, though 

 no special use of it seems {o have developed. 

 Elm, which is hard to find in large quantities 

 is quiet. 



BALTIMORE 



The hardwood lumber trade situation con- 

 tinues to present a very promising aspect, and 

 at this time both the demand and prices are 

 about as good as they have been at any time 

 during the present year. The movement is also 

 larger than it was at this time in 1911, mem- 

 bers of the trade reporting that they have run 

 ahead in the quantity of lumber sold. The 

 inquiry is sufficiently active to lake care of the 

 output of the mills, which have not so far been 

 able to accumulate any surplus. In fact, it is 

 decidedly larger than many members of the trade 

 had supposed it would be, with the national 

 election ahead and interest in political events 

 at a high stage. The distribution in the home 

 market has been of fair volume, while the de- 

 mand from other sources has shown gratifying 

 evidence of expansion. One of the developments 

 of the past weeks has been a gain in trade from 

 sections affected by the Mississippi river floods. 

 Unless present indications fail the present year 

 will be a notable exception with respect to the 

 effect of political developments upon business, 

 no general slowing up now being feared. 



The range of prices is in the main satisfactory, 

 with low-grade chestnut bringing attractive re- 

 turns, and with the other stocks also higher. 

 Common poplar also commands fair prices, with 

 the wide stocks still decidedly sluggish. Oak 

 is high and in good request, with all other 

 woods holding their own or somewhat firmer. 

 Exporters are not expectant, though they have 

 been hampered first by the stevedores' strike 

 here, and later by the indications of trouble 

 abroad, which latter, fortunately, proved of 

 short duration. The accumulations at this 

 terminal are now being rapidly reduced, and 

 there is every prospect that before long normal 

 conditions will prevail. The outlook for the 

 foreign trade is very encouraging, and exporters 

 are hopeful of a good business. 



vancing, and in some sections it is almost im- 

 possible to get stocks. Quartered oak is strong 

 and prices are firm, and the same is true of 

 plain oak. There is a stiffness noticeable in 

 No. 1 and No. 2 common. Chestnut is moving 

 well and prices are strong, especially for sound 

 wormy. There is a good demand for basswood. 

 poplar is firm and every size is selling well 

 excepting the wide sizes which are a sort of 

 drag on the market. 



COLUMBUS 



The hardwood trade in central Ohio continues 

 to improve in almost every line. With dry 

 stocks low, and the demand increasing, prices 

 have ruled firm. One of the features has been 

 advances in oak and chestnut, while other 

 varieties have also shown unusual strength. 

 Building operations continue to improve as the 

 season advances, and manufacturing establish- 

 ments are In the market for more materials. 

 This is especially true of factories making furni- 

 ture, implements and vehicles. General busi- 

 ness conditions appear to be improved despite 

 the political unrest which is now prevalent. 



Hardwood flooring Is one of the strong points 

 In the market. The market is constantly ad- 



CINCINNATI 



The local market is rather conservative. Few 

 rhauges have taken place. Sales have principally 

 been to furniture manufacturers at good prices. 

 Oak, both quarter-sawed and plain, has been 

 in fair demand with moderately good supply. 

 Plain white oak is active, but highly figured 

 stuff is slow. Heavy stuff is also in good de- 

 mand at the mills, although dealers do not care 

 (0 handle it unless they are assured a good 

 margin of profit. 



Chestnut is in fair request for long, clear 

 ones and twos. Rough and heavy stock for 

 packing purposes, is wanted by manufacturers 

 of machine tools. Low-grades are in abundant 

 Kuppl>', but are slow of sale. 



Red gum is active for ones and twos. Saps 

 and commons which are used for drawer sides by 

 manufacturers of furniture, are in good demand 

 and scarce. 



White ash is in good supply, and the demand 

 from wagon makers is only fair. Brown ash is 

 in good demand from the furniture manufac- 

 turers, but the supply is limited. 



I'oplar is in fair demand for ones and twos. 

 Common sells well, and low-grade is active for 

 box makers use. Box-boards are selling well 

 and are very hard to get. 



Hickory is in demand but is very scarce. 

 Cottonwood, basswood, buckeye, birch and other 

 hardwoods are in demand and plentiful with the 

 exception of white aad red birch which is scarce. 



TOLEDO 



The local hardwood market is ruling strong 

 at present. Stocks are badly broken and quite 

 low, dealers finding it almost impossible to 

 secure enough dry stock to take care of their 

 trade. Plain red oak is in strong demand at 

 advanced prices and quartered oak wlille in 

 less call is still much used. Poplar is also 

 strong especially in the building trades. The 

 wide variety is weaker than heretofore on ac- 

 count of the substitution of iron by automobile 

 factories for purposes for which poplar was 

 formerly used. Red gum is very strong at the 

 present time, furniture factories being liberal 

 users. There is but little dry gum in the 

 country, and holders are making the most of 

 I heir stocks and holding out for the highest 

 prices obtainable. Taken altogether there is 

 much encouragement in the local situation for 

 the hardwood man, the only cloud on the hori- 

 zon being the difficulty of securing stocks. 



MEMPHIS 



The demand for hardwood lumber continues 

 active. There is perhaps greater difficulty in 

 securing the necessary stock with which to fill 

 orders than in securing the orders themselves. 

 This is the direct result of the rather pro- 

 nounced shortage of dry stock. The amount of 

 lumber actually available for immediate de- 

 livery is relatively small. The production of 

 hardwoods during the past fortnight has shown 

 substantial increase over any similar period 

 since the latter part of March, but the lumber 

 now being produced will not be ready for ship- 

 ment for some time and therefore has com- 

 paratively little bearing on the present situa- 

 tion. Prices are firm in practically every direc- 



tion — in several instances they are higher than 

 since the panic of 1907. 



The demand for plain oak in red and white 

 is particularly good. Offerings are light and 

 prices are full. Quartered oak is bringing 

 higher prices than a short time ago, and the 

 supply is not large. Red gum is quite firm and 

 in case of well manufactured, well handled 

 stock, is bringing the highest prices in its his- 

 tory. Sap gum in the upper grades is also in 

 fair demand. The lower grades of gum are 

 stronger than they have been for a long while 

 and offerings are not at all free. Cottonwood 

 in the upper grades is moving at a reasonably 

 good rate. The lower grades, however, are ex- 

 ceptionally strong. Offerings are quite small. 

 Meantime, the box factories are doing a good 

 business and there is keen competitive bidding 

 for practically all of the cottonwood readily 

 available. The movement of cypress is expand- 

 ing as a result of the increased building opera- 

 tions throughout the country. Ash is in fairly 

 active demand. Offerings are not at all tree. 



NASHVILLE 



A good volume of business is being experienced 

 by manufacturers, retailers and others connected 

 with the local lumber market. There is a good 

 demand for practically all grades of hardwoods. 

 Building activities are keeping up well and all 

 allied interests are busy. From other sections 

 come continued complaints of deliiyed shipments 

 of orders placed some weeks ago. This cannot 

 be helped as desirable dry stocks continue very 

 low and the material desired cannot be always 

 had. In other words, it is a buyers' market at 

 this time. Good orders are being placed by box 

 factories for cottonwood. Floor makers are buy- 

 ing plenty of oak and maple. Interior finish- 

 ing plants are ordering freely. Other consum- 

 ing factories are not so much in evidence, due, 

 probably, to the approaching mid-summer dull 

 season. The railroads have been buying con- 

 siderable cypress. Those who have stock find 

 no trouble to sell it even at the advanced prices 

 now prevailing, and buyers are not now showing 

 opposition to the increased figures, but are glad 

 to get what they feel they must have even under 

 such circumstances. 



Plain oak is still the most active wood on the 

 market, with gum, cottonwood and low-grade 

 poplar closely following. Hickory, ash, maple 

 and birch are in good call. Prices are steady at 

 recent advances. 



INDIANAPOLIS 



The local hardwood market can be best 

 described as medium. There is a fair business 

 being done while the number of inquiries is in- 

 creasing, with prospects of these inquiries de- 

 veloping some excellent sales in the near future. 

 Prices are holding their own, no change in 

 prices having been made during the fortnight, 

 and no break is anticipated for some months 

 to come. Motor car factories are winding up 

 their 1912 season and little business is to be ex- 

 pected from them until the 1913 season opens, 

 which will not be for several weeks. 



LOUISVILLE 



The general feeling in this market is op- 

 timistic. Business is normal, and while it Is 

 not much more than this, there is sufficient tone 

 to the market to justify cheerful expressions 

 as to the future. Supplies have been somewhat 

 increased by the resumption of operations at 

 small mills. This is enabling concerns which 

 have been hampered by the paucity of stocks to 

 go ahead more aggressively, inasmuch as their 

 offerings are nearer normal. 



Plain oak continues exceedingly scarce, and 

 prices arc high. Poplar is a particularly good 



