SELLING LUMBER 



57 



Market 



ferring to his price guide and figuring several minutes, the prices 



of any kind of yellow pine lumber that his mill or firm will 



manufacture. As before stated, he should be as familiar with the 



price or cost of special cuttings as he is with ordinary stock stuft. 



He should also keep in close touch with the capacity of his mills 



for certain kinds of cuttings and grades and shipments, and should 



know at all times the quantities of each kind of stock on hand, by 



a close study of the stock sheets, in order that he may be able to 



co-operate with the sales manager or mill in moving surplus stock 



or in pushing those items which are most profitable, as well as 



to avoid the mistake of overselling or promising shipment or 



something which cannot be gotten out in a reasonable time. The conditions 



traveling salesman should also be a student of the lumber market Prices, etc. 



in its broadest sense. He should be thoroughly familiar with 



every condition which has affected or which might affect the 



market, and he should be prepared to answer any question cor- 



rectly and intelligently as to the cause of any marked fluctuation 



in the price of lumber. He should be able to perceive the economic 



relationship between prosperity and its stability. He should also 



be able to forecast the probable eras of business depression so 



that he may protect his firm from the evils of overselling to 



financially weak concerns. Are you efficient in these things? 



If so, what per cent? 



Mr. Woodhead : Not exactly in the language of the ques- 

 tion, but as I understand the interpretation of that phrase, mar- 

 ket conditions and prices, I claim 100 per cent, because I make my 

 living that way. 



A Voice : Give it to him. 



Mr. Dionne (reading) : "9. Traffic rates and transporta- 

 tion." The lumber salesman should be somewhat of a traffic 

 man. He should be perfectly familiar with the cost of delivery 

 of any kind of lumber to any given point in this territory. To 

 do this he must know the freight rate and the weight of each Tra ffj c 

 class of yellow pine lumber. He should know the approximate. Rates and 

 number of feet required to make up a minimum or maximum car 

 of any one kind of lumber, and the same if in mixed cars. He 

 should also be familiar with the best routing from his mill to the 

 customer and be prepared to answer any reasonable question his 

 customer might ask relative to weight, rate, transportation, rout- 

 ing, etc., jetc. In these things, what per cent are you efficient? 



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