pose of creating grades that could be most advantageously 

 used for certain manufacturing needs, but constituted pure- 

 ly an arbitrary basis, having for its purpose the determina- 

 tion of the average value of the log run product ; and despite 

 the growth of the hardwood industry and the greater var- 

 iety of uses to which hardwoods are now put, we have con- 

 tinued to do business on this antiquated, costly and wasteful 

 basis of grading. 



The lack of development in this important feature of 

 our business I feel is due to the following causes: 



1. We have lacked effective organization of the 

 hardwood manufacturers. We have had at different 

 times sectional organizations of manufacturers that 

 have accomplished much good but we have never had all 

 hardwood manufacturers from all parts of the country 

 united into one body and all working together for the 

 development and welfare of the industry. 



2. Because of lack of co-operation on the part of 

 the manufacturer, the unscrupulous intermediate deal- 

 er has been able to inject himself into the situation and 

 largely through his efforts the present unscientific 

 basis of lumber inspection has been continued, his in- 

 terest in the matter being the profits derived through 

 grade manipulation and substitution which this sys- 

 tem encourages and makes possible. 



3. The lack of interest on the part of the consumer. 

 It is surprising what little thought the average con- 

 sumer has given to lumber. Most manufacturing plants 

 using lumber also use other materials and we find them 

 employing consulting chemists, engineers and seeking 

 other competent advice as regards other material en- 

 tering into their work, but practically no thought has 

 been given to lumber and the tremendous waste that 

 has resulted in its utilization has been looked upon as 

 a necessary unavoidable evil. Only one consuming in- 

 dustry, the wagon and implement business, has given 

 any thought to this important subject and has grades 

 covering their consumption such as box boards for in- 

 stance that are truly scientific and that reduce waste 

 and utilization cost to the minimum. 



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