Random Editorial Ramblings

(Continued from Page 6.)

every year that passes. No ! The growing chain store activities may be attacked, but it's hardly likely that the retail lumber associations will do the attacking. In the last few months in a certaih state we lrrow of there was proposed a bill that aimed at the chain store. It didn't require any lawyer to tell that the same law would also destroy the retai'l lumber line yards. So the retailers of lumber were among the stronger opponents of the billwhich was killed.

Here's something new in lumber. The West Coast Lumbermen's Association recently decided for the first time in lumber history that there SHOULD be a difrerential be. tween prices direct to the trade and prices to the wholesaler, something the legitimate wholesalers have been fighting for for manJ years. The subject was discussed at several meetings in the Northwest, and finally they agreed that there SHOULD be such a differential, and they likewise fixed the amount thereof. So far as we know this has never been done before by any lumber manufacturing organization. It naturally delights the wholesaler, being to him concrete widence that his claims of service rendered and compensation deserved have finally been officially indorsed. And it may be good politics for the Northwestern mills. Naturally if one species pats you on the back, and others do not, you are likely to lug for the friendly fellow. Most people do.

The Hardwood Manufacturers fnstitute, of Memphis, Tennessee, has gathered some hardwood facts, figures, and estimates regarding the immediate past and future of hardwood production, that are very interesting indeed. During the years 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, and 1928, in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, fndiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia, hardwood mills discontinued operation to the number of 168, with annual production capacity of l,382,000,000 feet. During those same years in those same states, 125 new mills started in business, with 949,000,000 annual production capacity. This showed a new loss during those years of 43 hardwood mills cutting 433,000,000 feet annually.

These figures are all based on mills cutting 3,000,000 or more annually.

But beginning the nrrl or irrn]*n"* arc the prospects? Lct us see. On the first of this year, in the same list of states previously given, there were 557 hardwood mills, with an annual production capacity of 4,913,000,000 feet.

One year hence 41 of these mills will be gone, with annual production capacity of 355,000,000 feet. At the cnd of the second year 48 more mills will be gone, with annual production capacity of 378,000,000 feet. At the end of the third year hencc 52 more mills will be eliminated, wittr 333,000,000 capacity. The fourth year will see 46 morq mills bitc the dust, with 354,000,000 capacity. The fifth year will see 23 mills pass, with 148,000,000 capacity. Thc total that will disappear in five years will be 2lO, and ttrcir annual production capacity will be 1,568,000,000 feet. At the end of five years from now there will be 3,]7 hardwood mills still operating in these states, with production capacity of 3,345,fi)0,000 feet. ***

Perhaps the number of mills and their production by states will be of interest. Louisiana is the boss hardwood producing state, with 83 mills of 908,(X[,000 capacity; next Arkansas with 52 mills and 541,(X)0,000 capacity; ,then Mississippi with 58 mills of 532,000,000 capacity; West Virginia with 5l mills of 508,000,000 capacity; Tennessee with 62 mills of, 472,000,000 capacity; Texas, 29 mills with 291,000,000 capacity; South Carolina, 35 mills with 287,000,000 capacity; Georgia, 29 mills with 244,000,000 capacity; Alabama, 39 mills with 244,000,000 capacity; North Carolina, 28 mills wit}n 212,000,000 capacity; Kentucky,2O mills with 147,000,000 capacity; Virginia, 14 mills with 141,000,000 capacity; Florida with 16 mills and 121,000,000 capacity; Indiana with 19 nrills and 81,000,000 capacity; Pennsylvania with 6 mills and 64,000,000 capacity; Missouri with 6 mills and 50,000,000 capacity; Oklahoma with 2 mills and 36,000,000 capacity; Illinois with 3 mills and 18,000,000 capacity; Ohio with 4 mills and 11,(X)0,000 capacity; and Maryland with I mill cutting 5,000,000.

{.**

The center of gravity of hardwood production has swung and will continue to swing Southwesterly. Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Texas will be hardwood producing headquarters for all time to come. The production of northern hardwoods is continually decreasing, while that in the Southwest is increasing. There is lots of hardwood stumpage left in the South. It was the popularizing of Southern Gum particularly, that swung hardwood production South. That formerly despised wood suddenly became one of the world's most useful, practical, and beautiful woods, and so considered wherever hardwood is used, and this turned the trick. One great and useful SoutAern wood is passing away very rapidln and its supply continually declines. That is Magnolia. Its supply is low, and declining very rapidly.