146 FARM FORESTRY 



and has a value according to the species and quality. A good 

 local market is often found among neighboring farms and 

 small towns. Special orders for local house or barn construc- 

 tion can be filled. The product of local sawmills is not in 

 demand in general competition with the product from large 

 sawmills, because most of the product manufactured is of poor 

 quality. Because of the light weight of the sawmill machinery 

 and lack of skill on the part of the sawyer in keeping his mill 

 in condition and in the sawing of the lumber, the material is 

 not uniform. One board or stick may be a little wider or 

 thinner than another. Boards are often sawed thicker on one 

 end than on the other. Carpenters like to use a product that 

 is uniform throughout and that does not vary. The product 

 of large mills is in demand for this reason. Yet many port- 

 able sawmills turn out an almost perfect product. 



Boards sawed from the same log do not all have the same 

 value. Those sawed from the outer portions of the log will 

 usually be clear, without defects or knots. The farther into 

 the center of a log a board is cut the more knots and imper- 

 fections it may have. Boards and other lumber is graded 

 according to the number, size and location of the defects con- 

 tained. The more perfect the lumber and the freer from 

 defects the higher the grade and the higher the price the lumber 

 will bring. Lumber is sometimes sold as it comes from the 

 mill, all grades mixed in together, called the mill run. Where 

 lumber is to be sold by grades a knowledge of grades is neces- 

 sary. Often an experienced grader can be employed, if not 

 the owner should make a study of the chief grades of different 

 kinds of lumber so as to be able to sort the boards. Standard 

 grades for lumber have been established and are in use and 

 can be secured through the State Forester. The lower grades 

 have but little or no market value. They are called culls. 

 These can be used about the farm as needed or cut up for 

 firewood and kindling. More can usually be made by sorting 



