16 SELLING WOODLOT PRODUCTS ON MICHIGAN FARMS. 



Choosing the Market 



After finding out what the woodlot contains, the next thing to do is ' 

 to ascertain for what uses each kind of material will bring the best 

 price. An index showing the uses of each species is given on pages 3940. 

 The farmer should look up all the local wood using industries like saw- 

 mills, firewood dealers, pulp mills, fruit box and basket factories, rail- 

 roads, etc., and obtain the prices they will pay for the various kinds of 

 timber he has to sell. It is a good plan to inquire of neighbors who have 

 had dealings with local buyers. 



It is very often possible to get better prices than those offered by 

 local dealers, however. The woodlot owner should investigate the avail- 

 able markets not only within wagon haul of his lot but also at points 

 some distance away; valuable logs can often be shipped 100 miles or 

 more with profit. It is easy to secure prices for different products by 

 writing to all the firms in towns and (pities not too far away v/hich are 

 manufacturing special articles and which seem to offer a good market. 

 In such letters, the kinds, amounts, and general qualities of the timber 

 available should be stated as clearly as possible, and inquiry should be 

 made about the point of delivery, — whether on board cars at the shipping 

 point or at the destination. In the latter case, the shipper pays the 

 freight, and this amount must be deducted from the price offered in com- 

 paring the returns to be derived with those which local sales would yield. 

 In most shipments, carload lots are required. When buyers are sent 

 by the firms in response to letters, however, they may accept less 

 amounts, making up the carload from other farms in the vicinity. It is, 

 of course, possible for two or more farmers to combine and make up 

 carload lots, sharing the freight charges between them. 



On pages 41 to 46 is given a directory of Michigan industries which 

 buy wood in rough forms — logs, bolts, billets, ties, posts, poles, etc. 

 While this list is necessarily not quite up to date, most of the establish- 

 ments are probably still in the market. For convenience in reference, 

 the firms are arranged by towns, and the towns by counties, in alpha- 

 betical order for the upper peninsula and for the northern and southern 

 parts of the lower peninsula. This will make it easy for the farmer to 

 find out what firms buy rough wood in his own and adjacent counties. 

 In writing for bids he should not confine himself to these, but should 

 also approach firms manufacturing specialized articles, like veneer, 

 handles, etc., in any part of the State. 



The directory does not include sawmills or wood yards, since it is 

 assumed that the farmer is already acquainted with such of these estab- 

 lishments as are in his vicinity. It is rarely practicable to ship any 

 great distance for these uses. In the list, the kind of product sold 

 precedes the name of the company or buyer ; wherever possible the species 

 dealt in are specified. 



Prices and specifications for different uses can not be given to good 

 advantage because they vary constantly. A general idea of the usual 

 forms and grades required and of the relative values of the different 

 species can, however, be given, and these will be useful in determining 

 what firms to write to. It should be borne in mind that, unless other- 

 wise specified, prices are for materials delivered f. o. b. mill; in other 

 words, the seller bears the freight charges. For some rough products, 

 like pulp wood, excelsior wood, ties, etc., there are standard prices per 



