SELLING LUMBER 293 



fications for a 100 per cent efficient lumber salesman, and after 

 we have enumerated these essentials, let us then grade ourselves 

 according to the measure of our merit and see whether or not 

 we are worthy of the name. 



In my humble judgment there are at least twenty-three essen- 

 tial qualifications which go to make up a first class "A Grade" 

 lumber salesman. To be 100 per cent perfect you must be abso- 

 lutely free from all defects known in the "standard specification" 

 for the grading of a perfect lumber salesman. If you have got 

 any rotten knots, blue sap stains, pitch streaks, coarse grain, soft 

 pitch, wane or rotten red heart in your character you will never 

 be put in the 100 per cent "A Grade." Furthermore, you must 

 be thoroughly kiln-dried with experience to make a good "finish" 

 article. 



According to my judgment the standard specification for an 

 efficient lumber salesman are printed on the larger placard or 

 hanger which you see hanging here on the stage. You will also 

 find these specifications, or essentials as I will call them, printed 

 in the small grading cards which have been distrbuted among you, 

 and while I enumerate them, it might be interesting to you to follow 

 the various subjects and grade yourself on the card by taking 

 credit for your estimated percentage of efficiency in each essen- 

 tial, as I read them. Of course, I want it understood beforehand 

 that I am not going to be the "official grader." You must grade 

 yourselves, as I don't want to be held responsible for "Kicks'' 

 or "Claims" for "Undergrade," "Mismatched," "Short Length," 

 "Blue Sap," "Rotten" or "Faulty Manufacture," but there is one 

 rule I must ask that you follow in grading yourself, and that rule is 

 the "Rule of Honesty," for you cannot hope or expect to know 

 your "defects" as a lumber salesman unless you are strictly hon- 

 est with yourself. 



I will now take up the essentials in the order in which they 

 are printed on the chart. After making a brief analysis of each 

 essential you may then record the percentage of efficiency you are 

 entitled to opposite each in the percentage column, after which 

 add your various percentage and divide the total by 23. The an- 

 swer will be your percentage of efficiency as a lumber salesman. 



i. Health. 



The first on -the list is health. If your health is perfect you 

 are entitled to 100 per cent in the percentage column opposite 



