SALE VALUES 175 



rates must be added to make it possible to compare them intel- 

 ligently. The Forest Service figures were, of course, used as a 

 check. 



Two objections may be validly made against these figures. 

 They are, in the first place, merely for one market. Other mar- 

 kets may vary greatly in their prices for a given product. While 

 it is obviously impossible to deny this criticism, it is equally out 

 of the question to correct it by giving in the Umited space 

 available data for all the wood markets. Even a selection of the 

 most important would be difficult to decide upon and not espe- 

 cially helpful. The prime use of the figures is for purposes of 

 comparison. No work of this kind could be expected to be revised 

 frequently enough to keep up to date with daily market changes. 

 The second objection is that the values given are more nearly 

 maximum than average. Minimum prices would be of no use 

 because there is no lower Hmit beyond which the necessities of a 

 seller may not force him. If he must sell current market quota- 

 tions merely represent an unattainable maximum. Since there 

 is, therefore, no absolute minimum maximum prices are the only 

 ones that can be secured in sufficient abundance to prevent gross 

 errors. They are the prices sellers like to give out. They are 

 published in all trade journals while figures of actual transactions 

 are guarded jealously. 



Much the same conditions prevail in the choice of uses to which 

 wood may be put. High grade mahogany is frequently used in 

 the tropics for firewood or railway ties, but such uses do not 

 interest the woodland owner. He wants to know how he may 

 get the most out of his timber. Therefore, it has been assumed in 

 figuring the average values that each part of the tree is put to its 

 highest use. 



The tree species which have been discussed so far fall into three 

 groups when arranged according to their values per M with all 

 parts of the tree included. This grouping may appear strange 

 at the first glance unless it is remembered that all the mer- 

 chantable parts of a tree are considered, tops and bark as well as 

 those portions which will make lumber. The importance X)i such 

 figures is easily apparent to the woodland owner who plans on 



