qualities of western white and ponderosa pine and 
have been less able to pay their way. Fortunately, 
the mining industry and the railroads have pro- 
vided a local market for much lumber of these 
less valuable species. 
During the war and postwar years the proportion 
of larch, Douglas-fir, and other less valuable species 
in the lumber cut increased. In 1948 these species 
accounted for 60 percent of the total lumber pro- 
duction as compared with 48 percent in 1937. ‘This 
change was due to the outstandingly strong post- 
war lumber market and the reduction of the 
western white and ponderosa pine timber supply. 
Major dependency, nevertheless, still rests upon 
the two pines even though they account for less 
than half of the cut. 
The over-all timber supply situation in the 
United States is a basis for thinking that the market 
position of the less valuable species will continue 
to improve. However, if there are periodic slumps 
in the lumber market in the future as there have 
been in the past, they will undoubtedly have a less 
adverse affect upon ponderosa and western white 
pine lumber than upon lumber of the less valuable 
species. Thus, the lumber industry will be more 
stable and profitable in the future if it has pon- 
derosa and western white pine timber to cut. 
Markets for Montana Lumber 
The miner was the lumber industry’s best cus- 
tomer for many years. Later the railroads became 
important wood users and also provided access to 
outside markets. Still later with the great settle- 
ment period following the turn of the century, 
Montana farmers and ranchers began to use a 
large quantity of lumber. ‘Voday a little more than 
hall of the lumber cut is used within the State 
(fig. 26), the railroads being the principal con- 
sumers. Other in-state consumers or types of use 
are, in order of their importance: farms, mines, 
remanufacturing, and nonfarm construction. As 
a group these users plus the railroads account for 
about 90 percent of the in-State consumption. 
Montana lumber is shipped all over the Nation. 
A survey in 1945 showed sawmill shipments to 40 
of the 47 other states, with 71 percent going to the 
Midwest (fig. 27). Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, Wis- 
consin, and Pennsylvania were, in that order, the 
principal markets in 1945. Fourteen percent of the 
1945 shipments went to the West, 13 percent to 
30 Forest Resource 
TREND IN DISTRIBUTION 
a MONTANA 
LUMBER:. 
LtlLor2 bowtd jeet 
1924 1936 1945 
Ficure 26. 
REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION OF 
MONTANA LUMBER 
Ficurre 27. 
Report No. 5 U.S. Department of Agriculture 
