]2() JOURNAL OF l-ORi;STRY 



industry received low prices for its product and the demand was greatly 

 curtailed. 



The year 191 5 showed a marked improvement in general business 

 conditions and was soon reflected in the lumber trade, which was active 

 during the latter part of the year. Southern yellow-pine mills showed 

 a marked decline in stocks on hand from June on — a condition due to 

 the large increase of war business in all industries and to good crop 

 conditions in the cotmtry at large. 



The year 1916 was one of great prosperity throughout the United 

 States, both to the various industries and to agriculture. The railroads 

 showed heavy earnings which were reflected in large purchases of car 

 materials, among which lumber was an important item because of the 

 scarcity of steel for car construction. The lumber industry responded 

 to the general business prosperity by increased production, which, how^- 

 ever, brought about a surplus of stocks. The eft'ect of the latter was 

 reflected in a drop in the price of Douglas fir, southern yellow pine, 

 and other competing woods, due to overproduction. The effect of the 

 latter was a general curtailment of production, which again brought 

 prices up to a fairly satisfactory level. The latter part of the year was 

 marked both by a car shortage, which prevented the movement of lum- 

 ber, and by an increase in the cost of labor and supplies. The export 

 trade likewise drop})ed oft', due to a shortage in bottoms for this class 

 of trade. 



The year 19 17 proved a prosperous one for the industry because of 

 the heavy demand for lumber for the construction of cantonments and 

 for other military purposes both here and abroad. The Southern Pine 

 Association barometer shows that at the beginning of the year the stocks 

 on hand were 112 per cent of normal, which increased to 121 per cent 

 in April. Immediately after the entrance of the United States into the 

 war, heavy orders for lumber were ])laced with southern pine manu- 

 facturers, stocks dropping from 121 per cent of normal in April to 96 

 per cent of normal in August. Shipments rose from 75 per cent of 

 normal in February to 119 per cent of normal in August. Douglas-fir 

 mills did not show such a marked increase in business, because a large 

 part of the 1917 cantonment orders were placed in the South. 



The lumber industry was called on in 191 7 and 1918 to furnish large 

 quantities of lumber for wooden shipbuilding, airplane manufacture, 

 gun-stock material, box material, and various other lumber products 

 which were essential for the prosecution of the war. Complete figures 

 are not available as to the amount consumed, but the quantity of lum- 

 ber furnished by the southern pine mills is significant of the strong 



