52 



TIMBER DEPLETION, PRICES, EXPORTS, AND OWNERSHIP. 



retailers In Kansas City and Chicago to be from $75 to $80 

 per 1,000 feet, a few dollars less than the average shown for 

 country trade. 



Prewar and postwar changes in wholesale and retail prices 

 of specific softwood grades and species at various points 

 throughout the country are indicated in Table 21. It should 

 be explained that the margins shown between wholesale and 

 retail values do not always accurately represent the actual 

 margins, since the material sold in any given month may have 







Fia. 19. Comparison of trend of regional retail lumber values. 

 on averages of monthly sales.) 



(Based 



been purchased months before. The margin varies with grades 

 and species, retailers figuring a lower gross profit margin in the 

 handling of common grades sold in large volume at a relatively 

 rapid rate of turnover than for higher grades and special woods. 

 The expense of handling hardwoods is, of course, much greater 

 than for softwood lumber. For softwoods the margin on upper 

 grades ranges from zero or a few dollars per thousand at or 

 near mill points to $45 or $50 in New York City, while for 

 hardwoods, especially the upper grades, spreads as high as 

 $80 are of record. 



Table 22 compares average selling prices of lumber distrib- 

 uted through line yards in the Middle West, in March, 1920, 

 with the selling prices in the period 1912 to 1915, and also 

 with the selling prices in April, 1919, when prices began to 

 ascend sharply. 



TABLE 21. Wholesale and retail prices of Douglas fir and 

 southern yellow pine lumber at various points throughout the 

 United States. 



'February, 1914. 



TABLE 21. Wholesale and retail prices of Douglass fir and 

 southern yelloiv pine lumber, etc. Continued. 



i February, 1913. 



* September, 1918. 



TABLE 22. Comparison of average retail prices per 1,000 feet 

 in various regions and times. 



Changing values in country retail distribution are further 

 shown specifically in Tables 23 and 24, and graphically in 

 figures 20 and 21. A comparison of essential cost factors in 

 the average price of lumber in a large Middle Western city is 

 indicated in figure 22. The average buying prices shown in 

 Table 24 include freight. 



