Wood Grain Bins Present Marketing Opportunities to Dealers

By Don F. Hill, \Uest Coast Lumbermen's Association

War demands have taken most of the burlap bags which farmers formerly used to sack and store their grain, so they are turning to bulk storage. This should mean wood bins. 'I'he State War Board estimates that the California grain crop, harvested about June first, will necessitate construction of the equivalent of ten thousand 2,00G!us\el grain storage units. If lumber-built this will require approximately 65 million feet of dimension lumber, sheathing, drop siding and floorng. This emergency situation can provide a future as wel! as a present lumber market on California farms because bulk handling of grain is more economical than sacking, and once established will probably continue.

The federal government is encouraging farm storage of grain to build up large food reserves. Under present regulations a bonus ol 7c per bushel is given for satisfactory storage on the farm the first year; the second year the farmer gets an additional 6c per bushel. From this allowance alone granaries soon pay for themselves.

Wood has proven the best and most economical material for farm structures, including grain bins. Wood's high insulation value helps prevent heating and molding of grain. Wood is durable; it does not rust, and propertly cared for will last a lifetime. It combines light weight with high strength, an important element in portable bins which should be light enough to move readily from place to place. Most adaptable of all building materials, wood combines adequate permanency with ease of remodeling, giving the best service at low maintenance cost. Lumber is obtainable everywhere without a priority order. Its use releases critical materials for war purposes.

Lumber dealers should emphasize to their customers the fact that lumber of the grades needed for granaries is readily available. Surveys by the Lumber Merchants' Association of Northern California and the West Coast Lumbermen's Association show that lumber supplies will be ample for the needs of farm grain storage this year. The dealer is urged, however, to order his stock of grain bin lumber well in advance to allow ample time for seasoning. Some dealers who have had their normal markets reduced by the rvar may find it desirable to investigate the possibility of prefabricating'wood bins in their yards for sale to farmers who want to save building labor.

In order to have construction completed by June first it is necessary that retailers start contacting their farm trade for this business immediately. Many farmers will delay building bins in the hope of getting sacks, consequently some sales effort will be needed to speed the changeover from sacks to bulk storage.

In addition to the building of new bins considerable lumber can be sold for altering present structures to provide storage. The work of building crib partitions in existing warehouses along the railroads is already under way where retail lumberme,n have sold owners on this conversion. Poultrymen who buy grain in large quantities are interested in a combination feed storage-grinding building which includes space for candling and temporary storage of eggs.

Plans for all types of grain storage facilities of wood construction are available from many sources. The Agricultural Extension Division of the University of California has adjusted designs of the U. S. Department of Agriculture to meet local co,nditions and sells working plans with printed lists of materials at a nominal price. The West Coast Lumbermen's Association has just released a leaflet on wood granaries from which the farmer can construct portable bins using photographs as a guide. The marked pictures are even easier to work from than blueprints. The National Lumber Manufacturers Association has designs for prefabricated bins, and the California Redwood Association distributes plans for crib construction.

The lumber dealer will want to familiarize himself with the farmer's grain storage requirements so as to advise him on the best type and size of granary to build. Farm storage may consist of an elevator, a granary or portable bins. The size, of course, is determined by the average quantity of grain to be stored each year. A standard bushel of wheat occupies approximately lfu cubic feet of space and weighs '50 pounds per cubic foot. The capacity of a bin in bushels