CHAPTER 29 

 Trends^ 



Land managers growing trees, and manufacturers of products from hard- 

 woods, need knowledge of product consumption and prices during past years to 

 help them estimate future demand and plan future production. The hazards of 

 economic forecasting are so evident that graphs presented are limited (with six 

 exceptions— figures 2-2, 29-16E, 29-17, and 29-44, 29-49, and 29-50) to his- 

 torical trends, not future activity. 



Two trends seem evident, however. First, the population of the United States 

 will continue to increase (fig. 29-1). Second, regardless of the number of houses 

 built to satisfy shelter needs of the growing population, most houses will prob- 

 ably be smaller than those built in the 30 years from 1950 to 1980, and will 

 contain less wood per housing unit (fig. 29-2). 



250 



75 - 



t 



1900 



1910 



1920 



1930 



1940 



1950 



I960 



1970 



1980 



Figure 29-1.— Population of the United States, 1900-1980. (Drawing after MeKeever 

 and Hatfield.M 



'Figures in tiiis chapter credited to MeKeever and Hatfield are from: MeKeever, David B.; 

 Hatfield, Cherilyn A. 1984. Trends in the production and consumption of major forest products in 

 the United States. Resource Bulletins FPL 14 and 14A. Madison, WI: U.S. Department of Agricul- 

 ture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, 59 p. and 71 p. 



3580 



