Boards 



Boards from eastern species for sale by retail yards are generally of 

 poorer quality than those from other regions ( Talde 3). Over one-lialf 

 of all eastern hoards stocked are No. 3 common and poorer. In adiHtion. 

 about 1 1 percent are ungraded or on a mill run basis. Only one-quarter 

 of all sales arc No. 1 and No. 2 connnon grades and only seven percent 

 is of high quality, i.e. clear. 



Table 3. Lumber Sales to Consumers. Percent of Various Grades of Boards 

 and Dimension Lumber Marketed by Retailers. 



Number three common and poorer boards constitute the major 

 proportion of western board sales ])y grades l>ut are less than half of 

 total board sales. Thus over half of western boards in stock are of better 

 grades of hnnber. Over 15 percent is of clear grades. Little western lum- 

 ber is sold ungraded. The availability of western lumber in the upper 

 grades, in volumes needed and also pre-graded, enhances its competitive 

 position relative to eastern lumber. 



Boards from the southern region and from Canada are of high 

 quality. Over 80 percent of southern boards is in No. 1 and No. 2 com- 

 mon grades and an additional 13 percent is in the select grades. About 

 72 percent of Canadian boards is in No. 1 and No. 2 common grades. 



Species of Boards 



White pine is the most important single species produced in the 

 northeast. Hegion-wide, however, eastern white pine l)oards are stocked 

 by only half of the yards. In contrast, western white pine boards are 

 stocked by two-thirds of all regional retailers. Maine. New Hampshire, 

 and Vermont vards stock the most eastern white })ine (Figure 12). 



West Virginia and Pemis) Ivania reported the greatest ptMcent of 

 yards carrying southern pine boards, 75 percent of all yards in West 

 Virginia and about 45 percent of Pennsylvania''s yards. Price advantages 

 and availability of this species to local retail yards account for intra- 

 regional dillerences. 



Other eastern species are of relatively little importance compared 

 to white pine. On the average, 17 percent of all r<^gional firms reported 

 carrying hendock. 19 |>ercent carry eastern spruce and only about 5 

 percent carry eastern fir. The northern New England states are in all 

 cases the leaders in stocking these eastern species. 



20 



