THE FOREST RESOURCES OF THE WORLD. 



WOOD PRICES. 



33 



Since the United Kingdom buys nearly half the total export of all 

 the countries of the globe, the wood prices in the English market 

 affect practically the whole world. It will, therefore, be of interest to 

 compare the prices for the different kinds of wood imported for a 

 long period or years. The following average annual import prices 

 are borrowed from the Statistical Abstracts for the United Kingdom 

 (1892-1900), covering a period of twenty-four years: 



TABLE 10. Prices in cents per cubic foot of imported woods in the United Kingdom. 



The lowest price for pine and spruce logs was in 1894. In general, 

 the prices of log timber imported into the United Kingdom were 

 lower in the nineties as compared with the prices that prevailed in the 

 seventies. This may be accounted for by a change in the kind and 

 quantity of logs imported. In the seventies the importations con- 

 sisted chiefly of large logs, while now the timber imported is gener- 

 ally of smaller size and a great deal of it is for mine timbers and 

 pulp. The prices for logs are comparatively uniform. Teak is used 

 in large quantities for the navy, and its price depends not only on the 

 supply, but also on the demand for it. Lately there has been a great 

 demand for the building of the navy and merchant marine, which 

 has increased the price of teak. 



The prices for sawed lumber had fallen greatly by 1895, but since 

 then they have shown a continuous increase. The prices for staves 

 were also low in 1894 and 1895, but lately have shown a tendency to 

 rise. (Table ll') 



It is also of interest to compare the prices which different coun- 

 tries have commanded for their timber. 



55826 Bull. 8310 3 



