AMERICAN FOREST CONGRESS 167 



lumber transaction, and follow him as he refers to 

 various reports to prepare the answer. 



First, the actual or arbitrary price of stumpage ; then 

 the log cutters, log haulers, the sealers, loading crew, 

 and log train reports combined, give the figures of the 

 raw material in the pond; the scale sheets on the log- 

 deck, or the tally sheet at the tail of the mill, gives the 

 daily output; then comes yard and dry-kilns, planing 

 mill and loading dock, and the shipping ticket is ready 

 for the invoice clerk. 



With additions to cover the proper portions for 

 superintendence, insurance, interest, taxes, and depre- 

 ciation, the manager has a dozen or fifteen items whose 

 sum is the desired answer. He has done so well in 

 promptly supplying the desired information that we 

 follow with another "how much?" This time it is: 

 "How much lumber do you make each month?" 



The saw-mill reports are consulted, and if steady 

 time has been made, twenty-five or twenty-six items 

 are added, and the result announced. Then comes the 

 total cut and shipments for the year, with total cost, 

 and gross and net receipts, and the systematic collec- 

 tion of figures called "statistics" is ready for the annual 

 meeting, to be discussed and digested by the directors. 



These figures are of the utmost importance to the 

 stockholders for they reflect in concrete form the profit 

 or loss for the year. Every effort is made to have 

 them correct, and they are carefully preserved to be 

 compared with the next series, month by month. 



In the operation of a single plant statistics can be 

 easily obtained, because the manager has power to 

 control all departments in his own immediate circle. 

 In speaking of the "circle" of the single operation, a 

 diagram is suggested which represents the lumber 

 producing field in its entirety. This diagram consists 



