ipolito Screen s?#i" Co. Fir Losing Chinese Market Govt. Report

_ Douglas fir is facing fierce competition in the markets of China from Siberian pine, according to recent reports of the United States department of Commerce.

And this circumstance is of interest to the lumber trade of California because every foot of Douglas fir that is replaced in the markets of the w,orld by i competing wood means just that much more lumber available for tlie m.arkets at home.

The Chine customs figures for 19.21 do not give even a hint of what is going ,on in the lumber markJt in China to-day. The l92l custom's figures show imports as fol!ows: Siberian pine, 2,662,058 feet, and Douglas fir, 88,348,116 feet. From these figures one is led to-believe that Douglas fir has a stran,gle hold on the China market. Developments during 1922, however, have made these customs figures, from the standpoint of real trade information, very trnreliable indeed.

As a matter of fact, very careful estimates mad,e by strong interests enagged in the importation of Siberian pine into China place the figures for the first nine months of 1922 :as follows: 'Siberian pine, 40,000,000 feet, and

Douglas fir, 12.5,000,0C0 feet. The 792I ration was about 3 feet of Siberian pine to 100 feet of Douglas fir, but the 1922 estimtate (which is very near the mark) shows that 30 feet of the Russian wood is arriving to every 10O feet of American.

In the past the leading lumiber m,erchants who had an established position in China preferred to discourage the importation of Siberian wood, because it was easier io sell Douglas fir and also be,cause the profits in it were attrac- tive. Rather, however, than take a chance on Dou,glas fir this year, these interests are now sellinrg Siberian pine at prices ranging from $20 to $25 gold per thousand board feet, delivered at Shanghai.

While it is unfortunate that such a Douglas fir situation has been saddied on the Shanghai market, it is more unfortunate that this m.arket has been opened to the great flood ,of timber from the north, which will take a lot of stopping now that the Chinese realize that Si,berian pine is a very good wood for certain purposes.

HISCOX VISITS L. A. TRADE

Richard G. Hiscox, of the Western States Lumber Co. of San Francisco, spent several days recently in Los Angeles ,on business. While in the south h,e called on the Earl Hoffman Co., who are their representat.ives in Southern California.