34 BULLETIN 909, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
ture the same kind of stock from them. The best that can be done, 
therefore, is to show averages derived from reports of several large 
representative manufacturers. These reports relate to grades of 
lumber produced and cover a considerable amount of material. The 
data are available for the years 1912 and 1919 and are as follows : 
1912: First and seconds, 30 per cent; No. 1 common, 45 per cent; 
No. 2 common, 20 per cent ; No. 3 common, 5 per cent. 
1919: Firsts and seconds, 15 per cent; selects, 7 per cent; No. 1 
common, 45 per cent; No. 2 common, 23 per cent; No. 3 common, 
10 per cent. 
From the figures covering the year 1912 the overrun of the log 
scale could not be determined. It is probable, however, that this 
overrun was greater than the average generally obtained from hard- 
wood timber, because walnut logs usually run smaller. The high 
overrun during the war, amounting at many mills to about 40 per 
cent, was the result of sawing the thick gunstock flitches, which 
usually contained many defects. The small loss in saw kerf also 
helped to increase this overrun. For the year 1919 it is claimed that 
the overrun resulting from the sawing into lumber amounted to only 
about 10 per cent. This overrun seems remarkably low, but it is ac- 
counted for by the very poor quality of the 'logs remaining in the 
hands of the manufacturers that year, for a very large part of this 
timber was purchased to fill Government contracts and was intended 
mainly for rifle-stock blanks. Logs of that kind have many inte- 
rior defects; and in most cases defects visible on the outside of the 
log were not scaled out, because the mill people were so desirous of 
obtaining the logs. Manufacturers claim that the 10 per cent over- 
run was entirely absorbed by the 10 per cent No. 3 common, or 
cull grade, which became unmerchantable, because of the very 
large amount of this low-grade stock on hand from the manufacture 
of war materials. Some walnut mills even claim an actual loss when 
the yield of merchantable lumber was compared with the amount 
of the log scale. 
Under the present normal conditions, logs are scaled more closely 
for defects than during the war period ; and, therefore, the overrun 
and also the proportion of firsts and seconds is greater. Furthermore, 
a better average grade of logs is being purchased. It is also probable 
that there will be a greater demand for cull or low-grade material. 
The high percentage of the No. 1 common grade, as compared with 
that of other woods, is due, in the main, to the remanufacture of the 
No. 2 common grade. By resawing the widest and least defective 
lumber of this grade, narrower and shorter pieces are cut which will 
be classed as No. 1 common grade. In this way the amount of defec- 
tive material is reduced. 
