The number of poles produced from sources within the northern Rocky 

 Mountain area in 1953 was 51.1 percent of 1947 peak year production and 

 83.7 percent of 1952 production. The change in output from 1952 and 

 1947 is shown in table 2. 



Table 2. — Percent change in total pole production 1955 

 from previous year and peak production year 



Species 



Change from 





1952 



1947 





- - - Percent 





Western redcedar 



-12.0 



-17.0 



Lodgepole pine 



/22.8 



-63.4 



Western larch 



-40.9 



-59.3 



Douglas -fir 



-81.5 



-45.7 



Total 



-16.3 



-48.9 



The poles reported in tables 1 and 2 were grown in the northern Rocky 

 Mountain area. The processing firms also handle additional poles from 

 the U. So West Coast and Canada. Subsequent discussion and tabulations 

 in this report refer to these total "marketed" pole numbers. 



Since 1947, the year this pole survey began, the total pole output has 

 fluctuated considerably from year to year (table 3) without indicating 

 any definite trend. The total output for the 7-year period 1947-1953 is 

 over 5-1/2 million poles--an important source of income to many people. 



Table 3.— Total poles processed in the northern Rocky Mountain area 

 from all sources 



Tear 



Western 

 redcedar 



Lodgepole 

 pine 



Western 

 larch 



Douglas - 

 fir 



Total 



1947 



448,544 



375,545 



252,205 



91,134 i/l 



,167,428 



1948 



384,837 



142,490 



103,693 



43,231 1 



'674,251 



1949 



521,847 



186,262 



143,888 



58,606 



910,603 



1950 



418,982 



92,338 



90,793 



14,154 



616,267 



1951 



283,171 



136,628 



138,852 



39,662 



598,313 



1952 



471,104 



104,621 



213,336 



84,777 



873,838 



1953 



443,570 



128,818 



90,246 



13,218 



675,852 



Total 



2,972,055 



1,166,702 1 



,033,013 



344,782 5 



, 516, 552 



1/ Ponderosa 

 6,557; 1948, 804. 



pine poles were 



reported 



for these years: 



1947, 



The classification of poles reported by northern Rocky Mountain firms in 

 1953 is shown in table 4 by species, American Standards Association class, 

 and length. A significant increase in output of certain classes of short 

 lodgepole pine poles is evident. In general, the 1953 production shifted 

 toward shorter poles. 



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