SELLING LUMBER 



55 



As to Cost 



anybody will be able to make a technical argument on the differ- 

 ence between concrete and iron in mill construction, but we do 

 believe that he should have a smattering of it, some information 

 as to the differences and relative cost. 



Mr. Dionne (reading) : "Six Knowledge of the methods 

 and cost of manufacture." Do you know how lumber is manu- 

 factured? Do you know the evolution of the log from the time 

 it leaves the forest until it reaches the finished product readv 

 for shipment? Do you know how many separate operations are 

 required to convert a log into boards or dimension or finish? 

 Have you any idea of the cost of each separate operation, and 

 why it costs more to manufacture one kind or dimension of lum- 

 ber than another, and how the cost is distributed to the several 

 grades? Do you know why one length is worth more or less than 

 another length of the same dimension? Do you know anything and Method 

 about the percentage of grades which an average bunch of logs fManu * ac - 

 will develop in manufacture, and the basis or rule by which the 

 cost of one kind of yellow pine lumber is placed at a higher price 

 than another? Do you know anything about special cuttings in 

 the manufacture of lumber, why it costs more to fill an order 

 for special cuttings, and how to figure that additional cost? Do 

 you know the several component parts of the cost of yellow pine 

 lumber, the stumpage, the logging, the hauling, the sawmill, the 

 trucking, stacking, drying, planing and loading, as well as the 

 overhead or fixed cost which are all a part of its value? If you 

 know all these things you are entitled to 100 per cent on manu- 

 facture ; if not, you will grade yourself according to your knowl- 

 edge. 



Mr. Woodhead : Well, I can answer nearly every one of 

 those questions. 



A Voice: One hundred per cent. 



Mr. Woodhead : No, I can't claim 100 per cent on it. 1 

 claim 85. Those are questions that enter directly into my line of 

 business, and I figure them very nearly every day, and I believe 

 T could claim 85 per cent on that. 



A Voice: Well, make it 90. 



The Chairman: He gets 85 per cent. 



Mr. Dionne (reading) : "Seven Knowledge of grading 

 rules." Have you ever sold a bill of lumber, and some time later, 

 when you called on your customer he would tell you that was the 



