THE CALIFOR}.IIA LUMBERMERCHANT JackDionne,prblishu How Lumber Looks

A total of. 3zZ mills reporting to the Vest Coast Lumbetments Association for the week ended April 2 operated et 24.4 per cent of capacity, as compared to 24.2 per cent of capacity for the previous week and 40.7 per cent for the same week last yexir. Duting the week of March 26 179 of these plants were reported as down and 143 as operating; tho6e operating rePorted ptoduction as 43.6 per cent of their group capacity.

New business received by 217 identical mills for the week was 13.6 per cent over production and totaled about lrTOOrOOO feet less than the orders of the previous week. This group reported production as about 9001000 feet more than the previous week. Shipments for the week were 26.4 per cent over production. This is the twenty'second week out of twenty-three with orders in excess of production. Due to the low level of pro' duction, a gradual betterrnent is occuring as stocks decrease. Shipments for the week were 26.4 per cent gr€ater than production. Inventories, as reported by 144 mills were decreased l3rO00rOOO feet during the week ended April 2 and ate 17.8 per cent less than at dris time last year.

Production, orders and shipments at these 217 mills for the week ended April 2 were reported to the Association as follows: Produaion 5916171601 feet: orderc 6717181129 feet; shipments 7513521476 feet.

Details of orders and shipments at these mills fot the week follows: Orders-Rail 2310161868 feet; Domestic Cargo 25r' 4161976 feet; Exports 1112791538 feet; Local 810041747 feet. Shipments-Rail 24,9461835 f.eet; Domestic Cargo 2614301361 feet; Export 151970,533 feet; Local 8roo4,747 f.eet.

The California situation shows no material changes and the volume of business continues light. Unsold stocks on the public docks at San Pedro on April 6 totaled 4r836,fi)o feet' as compared to 515951000 feet the previous week. Cargo a,rriyals at San Pedro continue very 'low; for the week ended

H. W. McLEOD VISITS SAN FRANCISCO

April 2 the receipts amounted to 5,1E2r000 feet, including five cargoes of Douglas fir carrying 4r44tr000 feet and two cargo€s of Redwood with 6391000 feet. 48 vessels were operating in the coastwise lumber trade on April 2, with one vessel, the Missoula, operating olf-shorel 63 vessels were laid up.

Although comparable statistics indicate a decline of as much as 44 per cent in both lumber production and orders from levels obtaining a yeat ago, the lumber movement co,ntinued through the week ended April 2 to show a substantial excess of orders over prduction. This excess w.$ not so gteat as it has been in many recent weeks, amounting to about 2O pet cent according to reports to the National Lumber Manufacturers Association from the regional assocations covering the operations of 66,9 leading hardwood and softwood mills. Production of these mills amounted to 116r568r0fl) feet Their shipments exceeded the cut by 36 per cent. A week eatlier 697 mills reported orders 35 pe cent above and shipmenb 37 pe cent above a production of 11315991000 feet.

The Southern Pine Association fot the week ended April 2 reported new business from 119 mills as 241633rOO0 feeg shipments 28rO77,000 feet, and production 24r238rOO0 feec-- Ordets wete 2 per cent above ptoduction and 12 pu cent below shipments. Shipments were 16 per cent above production,

The I(/estern Pine Association repomed for the week new business from 128 mills as 33'500'000 feet, shipmetrte 39'7091000 feet, and production 2trgO5rOOO f.et. Ordets wete 53 per cent above production and 16 per cent below shipments. Shipments were 81 per cent above production.

198 hardwood mills for the same week reported new busi. ness as 1115951000 feet, ot 13 per cent above production. Shipments were 1219101000 fent, or 26 pet cent above production. Production was 10,283,000 feet.

H. W. COLE VISITS MILLS

H. W. Cole, of the Hammond & Little River Redwood Co., has returned to San Francisco from a visit to the mills in Humboldt County.