28 
BULLETIX 683, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
low-grade lumber, while the other four industries buy little or none 
of the No. 3 common for the manufacture of their products. This 
grade is used largely for crating. 
Table 8. — Grades of elm used by different industries. 
Industry. 
Firsts 
and 
seconds. 
Common. 
No. 1. 
No. 2. 
No. 3. 
Per cent. 
24 
27 
50 
23 
30 
Per cent. 
46 
58 
25 
43 
25 
Per cent. 
28 
15 
25 
34 
Per cent. 
2 
Furniture 
Agricultural implements 
16 
29 
Average for 5 industries 
31 
39 I 24 1 6 
1 : 
GRADING RULES FOR ELM. 
There are two sets of lumber-association rules under which elm is 
graded: The Hardwood Manufacturers' Association rules, which are 
used largely by manufacturers in the eastern and southeastern parts 
of the hardwood region of the Eastern United States, and the 
National Hardwood Lumber Association rules, which are used by 
manufacturers throughout the central and western parts of the hard- 
wood belt and by the Michigan Hardwood Manufacturers' Associa- 
tion and the Northern Hemlock and Hardwood Manufacturers' 
Association. 
Under the Hardwood Manufacturers' Association rules the grade is 
determined by an inspection of both sides of the board, and there are 
five grades for elm: Firsts and seconds, No. 1 common, No. 2 common, 
No. 3 common, and No. 4 common. Bright sap is admitted in all 
grades. In firsts and seconds {FAS) the pieces must be 6 inches and 
over wide and 8 feet and over long. A small number of specified 
defects are allowed, depending on the width. In No. 1 common the 
pieces must be 4 inches and over wide, 6 feet and over long. In 
general they must work 66§ per cent clear face. No. 2 common 
pieces are 3 inches and over wide, 4 feet and over long, and must work 
at least 50 per cent into sound cuttings. No. 3 common pieces are 
3 inches and over wide and 4 feet and over long and must contain 25 
per cent sound cuttings. Black sap is not a defect in No. 2 and No. 
3 common. No. 4 common is a lower grade, including all unsound 
lumber capable of holding nails. It is used for cheap boxing, sheath- 
ing, crating, etc. These rules apply to all species of elm. 
In the National Hardwood Lumber Association rules inspection is 
made from the poor side of the piece, and there are separate grading 
rules for soft (white) elm and rock (cork) elm. There are four grades : 
Firsts and seconds, No. 1 common, No. 2 common, and No. 3 common. 
