20 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



toriall.v advanced in price above that paid in 

 former ye.-n-s. We also find tliat labor has ad- 

 vanc<'d to (jiiite an extent, and think we have 

 just alumr been abb- to keiqj pace ljy advances 

 on till- niMmifacturrd product. 



Alabama Trade. 



We bavi- innrc orders Than \vr ran cunil'nrlably 

 In'udle. Thr I rade for July and Augnst was 

 much bi'tlcr tluin lor last year, although this is 

 hardly ti .lust comparison, as we were shut down 

 in August. 1!M)(;, on account of a lioili'r i-xitio- 

 sion. We own timlun- and Io.ti; it onrselvi-s : 

 therefore tlu' cost ol nnr logs varies with the 

 cost of labor, which is higher. 



We are having fair dc'mand for furniture 

 veneer, in fact in excess of last year. (Icncral 

 veneer trade was bett<'r with us "in tlie months 

 of July and August this season than the- cori-e 

 spouding months of l\nn\. The outbu.k for fall 

 business is fair. The cost of logs is from ten 

 to twenty ])('r cent more than in yir-ars prinr lu 

 llKKI: however, there is no a])precinble advance 

 over liH)*;. The cost of labor remains about the 

 same as during 11)0(>. which is an incri'ase over 

 pri'vi<nis yeai-s i.f fnmi ten to twenty pi-r rent. 

 In view of all conditinns we are determined tn 

 advance prices nn practically our entire line, 

 especially veneers, lo a degree in keeping with 

 the incn-ased cost of materials and productiiui. 



From Vermont. 



The furniture trade is a little dull. ImiI .Inly 

 and AugUtiit this year wei-e about the same as 

 last year. We believe the outlook for fall busi 

 ness is good and our material costs about the 

 sami' as for several years itast. 



Georgia's Report. 

 nur I'usiness f<ir July nf tliis year, as eum 

 pared to last year, was eonsidera'bly in excess. 

 Ilovvevi'r, we did not fare so well in the month 

 of August. We consider the outlook for fall 

 business more than up to the average. We ai»- 

 preciate the fact that the cost of all manu- 

 factured goods is considerably in excess of pi-e- 

 vious years. 



Wisconsin Business. 

 Uur trade in July and August was a Utile 

 ahead nf what it was in previous years. The 

 tigiires. however, have not been in kc'eping with 

 the figures of other manufacturers over last 

 year's business. We do not expect the fall busi- 

 ness to be uji t<i what it was a year ago. Our 

 reason for thinking so is that we made an ad 

 vance in March, and we believe a great many 

 of <mr eiistnmei-s placed large orders after the 

 seccmd advance with the expectation that there 

 might iHissilily be another, and desired to cover 

 themselves in this respect. It is very evident 

 from the fact that a number of our customers 

 have recently retpiested us not to ship any more 

 until further advised. We expect to pa.v fnun 

 fifteen to twenty-five per cent more for logs this 

 year than last. (Uir labor has also advanced 

 ten per cent, cimsecjuently veneers will not l)e 

 sold for any less money "during the balance of 

 1!H(7 then they are now. Notwithstanding there 

 might be a lull in tlu' demand, anyone who has 

 to cut u|i valuable timber had better hold ii 

 until they can get a good price for their stoek. 

 because they can not replace it for the same 

 money. The year I'.MiT. thus far. has been the 

 biggest year in the history of our business. We 

 do not I'xpecl to dn nearly as nnich business in 

 llios. hut whiU business we get will l)e at a 

 price tliat will maki- a ditference in the footings 

 on the profit side of the ledger. 



Our business with furniture companies for 

 July and Augnst does not compari- favorably 

 with corresponcling months nf the last few year.s. 

 Kegarding the nut look for fall business, we do 

 not anticipate any large falling off in Inisiness. 

 In fact we see no reason why trade for the next 

 three months should not be up to the average. 

 Regarding cost of logs, would say our logging 

 season f(M- ItHMJ-" was about thirty-five per cent 

 mtu'c than any ijrevions year. This was due to 

 the increased cost of lumber, as well as supplies 

 of all kinds, and wliile we have been able to 

 make up a proportion of this, the increase in the 

 selling price of manufactured articles will not 

 entirely compensate us. 



Trade with us during July and August is 

 about the same as a year ago and fully as 

 good. The outlook for fall l)usiness we regard 

 as exceptionally good. We have all \vv can pos 

 sibly do. The cost of logs this year has been 

 ten to twelve and a half per cent higher than 

 a year ago. and in many cases about fifteen 

 per cent advance has Ikmui paid by us. Prices 

 for manufactin-ed material with us are fully ten 

 jier- ernt biiiber fhan a year ago. 



From Ohio. 



Trade is somewhat slower than usual, but 

 the outlook for fall business is good; material 

 seems to be m\U'h higlier compai'ed with former 

 years. 



There seems to be a lillle falling off in orders 

 for veneer at presenl. The nullook for fall 

 business seeuis a lillle slow In u>. hill il is iiiosl 



too early to tell. Logs arc very high around 

 here at present: in fact too high for much profit 

 at the present price of veneer. We think il 

 best not to work the trade ton har(l Just now. 

 so as to keep prices up as mucli as possible. 



Virginia. 

 I lur sales during the nmntbs of July and 

 August of this year exceeded oni- sales of last 

 year for the same period by .^.S-Olio-ttll. The 

 (Hiilook for our fall trade is good, as we have 

 nrders lionked to keep us running until January 

 1. inos. Prices of logs are soaring all the time, 

 both poplar and oak costing from $."> to .flO a 

 thousand more than they did a year ago. On 

 account of conditions on Wall street for the 

 last six months, people have been trying t<t 

 lii'dge, expecting an uneasy stock market to 

 affect business a.s in "ye olden time." but have 

 found out that business and speculation do not 

 necessarily go hand in Inind. I'usiness is, in 

 nur ippinion. »>n a Itetter fountlation than it has 

 lii'en U)V a number of months, and if the banks 

 do not get alarmed and call in their loans there 

 is no reason why conditions should not keep 

 improving. 



Arkansas. 



Trade has not been as brisk with us as In 

 Inly and August last year. At the present time 

 I 111' outlook for fall busini'ss is very (liscfoiraging. 

 The cost of logs is about the same as last year. 

 There is an increased expense for supidies ; good 

 labor is very scarce.. We have been able to keej) 

 mir mill running but have only the iirders on 

 hand that we are working on at the present 

 time. It seems to us that during thi' last three 

 nionrbs prices have been cut by a great many 

 manufacturers. The great majiirity of our quota- 

 lions ha\i' been turned dowii. same lieing too 

 high. However, we have not cut the jjrices we 

 have been getting. 



West Virginia. 



There is no falling off in the furniture trade 

 and we have more orders than ever l)efore in 

 our history, with good prices. July and August 

 showed more Itusiness fhan last year for the 

 same months and the outlook is good for fall 

 Imsiness. although raw material is of highi-r 

 value. 



Tennessee. 



There is a considerable falling off of business : 

 July and August were not as good as last year: 

 till' outlook for fall business is fair, with raw 

 materials higher. 



Pennsylvania. 



Our trade seems to be holding up all right 

 arid is ver.v satisfacttiry. Our .July and Angus I 



trade was about tlie same as last year. So far 

 as we can see. the outlook for fdll business is 

 very good. The price of raw material, however, 

 is eonsidiM-ably higher than in former years. 



Missouri. 



We have had sutlicient work to keep our. mills 

 fairly busy, but do not find trade as good as 

 last year. Some of the furniture manufacturers 

 are comidaining. but in simie cases they have 

 plenty to do. They are not buying any himber, 

 but several have made the statement that they 

 intend to clean up and take chances on the price 

 going up or down. However, wi- expect a good 

 fall business, as we think conditions Ihroughoul 

 th"^ country are too prosperous to permit a 

 continuance of the present lull. Logs are still 

 very scarce and what has so often been said, 

 the (piality is deteriorating each day. while the 

 price is still away up. notwithstanding a slight 

 decline in the lumber marki't. Oood help is 

 exceedingly scarce and as a result it continues 

 to cost more to turn (uit our wai-es. Notwith- 

 standing everything tluit lias been said, we are 

 optimists and are putting in improvements right 

 along in order to kee|) ijace wiib ibe times. 



Minnesota. 



With reference to our veneei- business, beg 

 to say this is a small inivx of our manufactured 

 |)roduct and we do not know that we are (juali- 

 fied to state as to just what trade conditions are. 

 \Viiaf we made we sold at a better figure fhan 

 ever before and could duplicate orders now if 

 we had the material on hand. We certainly 

 had no tr(nil>le in selling all we could make, 

 p Our general trade for July was larger than any 

 month in our history. August, as usual, was 

 light, though fully up to last year. The outlook 

 for Imsiness generally thnaigh the Northwest 

 we do not believe w'as ever beffer ; while in some 

 localities crops were damaged by hail, it was to 

 only a limited extent. 



Washington, 



Husiness has been a little less active with us 

 for the past three months than at any time 

 within the last year, but it may be because we 

 are keeping up our price and not making any 

 cuts to secure business. Also, we have taken 

 into consideration the fact that along at this 

 time we have quite a scarcity of cars, so we 

 do not try to load up with business quite as 

 heavii.v as we do at otlier times in the year. 

 We belii've that owing to agifafiim ov<'r increased 

 freiglit rates by railway lines buyers are holding 

 otf until there is something definite. Botli logs 

 and manufactured material are costing more 

 tlian they did a year ago. owing to the in- 

 crease in the cost of labor, etc. 



Hardwood Record J\Iail Bag, 



[In (his department it is proposed to reply 

 to sucti inquiries as reach this fiffice from the 

 Hardwdcid Ueoord clientage as will be of enough 

 general interest to warrant publication. Kvery 

 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.] 



How Do You Steam Your Hubs? 



Ilicll I'DlNr. N. ('.. Sept. lit;.— Kdilor ll.vun- 

 wiMjij liKCf.iKD : As you are in line with the pco 

 pie that steam their product, w"e write .you tor 

 some particulars about it. We would like to 

 know the best way to steam hubs of birch and 

 oak to prevent them from cracking — whether to 

 use dry steam or exhaust steam : how long lo 

 continue the process, etc. Any inform:ition you 

 ciih uive us will be appreciated. — llioii roivr 

 III H ^; Il.woi.i: ( '(i.\ir.\Ny. 



Anyone who has perfected a satLsfactory 

 jirocess wouM confer a great favor by writiuo- 

 the corresjjonilent ilirect, or cotnniuuicatiny 

 anything he mav have to say tlirouyh tliis 

 (iHii-e. — KniTOR. 



About "Willow Oak." 



I'lMi \.\.vii. ().. Oct. 1. — Kdilcu- lI.Miiiwoiiii 

 lti:riti{i>: What can ,yQ.u tell \is wilh refei*en<-e 

 lo ihe species of oak found in Alabama and 

 known there as the "willow oak"V It is a hard, 

 white, straight-grained wood. The trees grow 

 lo (piite a good size and the trunks are bmg 

 anil straight, with limlis high from the ground. 

 Wi- .ire under the iniiiression that this wood 



classihes and is used tiu- same as white oak. 

 and will make rtne wagon stock. An.v infcrma- 

 tion you can give will he appreciated. — II. K. Ii. 



This tree does not come under either the 

 white or red oaks botanieaily, but is atj en- 

 tirely separate species. Ho\yevcr, in the liiin- 

 ber markets of the South it no doubt masque- 

 r.ides under one of the nliove title.s. The 

 tree is classified as Quercm phellos, or willow 

 oak, by Sargent and other botanists, and is 

 sonietimes known as peach oaR or swainji wil- 

 low oak — or, incorrectly, as \vater oak. It 

 grows from Staten Island down to Florida, 

 usually in the lo\y maritime plain, and througl. 

 the (.iiilf region to the Sabine river in Te.xas, 

 including southern Arkansas, Missouri, Mis- 

 sissippi, central Tennessee and soutliern Ken- 

 tucky. It is occasionally used in construc- 

 tion work and for felloes. A proiniiieiit .Mis- 

 sissippi manufacturer writes: 



' ' Willow oak, turkey oak and water oak 

 are practically the same with us. All three 

 of these oaks are placed in the roil oak (d;r.ss 

 on accoitnt of their grain, and our expe- 

 rience with them in this section is anytliiug 

 but profitable, as it is by far the poorest otik 

 we have. There are some mills that put tlii.s 

 cliiss of oak into wagon stock, but in my 

 opinion it is worthless for this jiurpose. I 

 liave nhvav.s found this oak to lie tilled with 



