Exports and lmports First Two Months 1938

Total exports of hardwood and softwood lumber (including boards, planks, scantlings, floorings, sawed timber) and logs for the first two months of 1938 totaled 165,504 M board feet as compared with 185,814 M Jeet for the correspondine period of 1937, according to figures just released by the Forest Products Division of the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce.

Of the total 1938 amount, 148,142 NI feet was sawed. material as.compared with 169,962 M feet for the similar two month period ol 1937, a decline of 13 percent. Exports of logs and hewn timber for the first two months of 1938 totalled L7,62 M feet as compared with 15,852 M feet for the same period in 1937, an increase of B percent.

In the sawn softwood group, Douglas Fir was the most important species exported, totalling.52,762 M feet as compared with 23,A7 M feet for the first two months of. 1937. Southern pine was next in importance totalling 47,537 M feet for the first two months of 1938 as compared with 67,590 M feet for the similar period in L937. Other woods exported in this group were: (First two months 1938 versus first two months 1937, respectively) Cedar 926 M feet vs. 819 M feet ; Hemlo ck 26 M f eet vs. 7O M feet ; White, Ponderosa, Sugar Pine 3,557 M feet vs.4,BB7 M feet;Redwood 1,559 M feet vs.'2,123.M feet; Spruce l,4BZ M feet vs. 2,462 M feet; Cypress 747 M feet vs. 693 M feet.

Sawn hardwoods (including flooring) totalled 39,418 M feet for the first two months of 1938 as compared with 68,O42 M feet for the similar period in 1937.

Softwood log exports for the first two months of 1938 totalled 10,732 M feet as against 13,233 M feet for the corresponding period of. 1937. Hardwood log exports on the same basis of comparison totalled 6,330 M feet as against 2,619 M feet respectively. In this log export group, Douglas fir accounted for 9,14I M feet; ash and hickory, 1,892 M feet; cottonwood and aspen 1,768 M feet. Log exports of other segregated species were comparatively small.

Total imports of hardwood and softwood logs and lrrmber (including clapboards and cabinet woods) for the first two months of 1938 totalled 9I,233 M feet as compared with 110,088 M feet for the corresponding period in 1937. Of this 1938 amount n,n6 M feet were logs (hardwoods and softwoods) 59,711 M feet were softwood lumber (including clapboards) and 11,316 M feet were hardwood lumber and sawed cabinet woods as against I2,3I8 M feet of \ogs,78,497 M feet of softwood lumber, and 19,273 M feet of hardwood lumber and sawed cabinet woods for the comparable period of 1937.

In the logs group, imports of cedar logs for the first two months of 1938 accounted for 5343 M feet; fir, spruce or Western hemlock accounted for LO,644 M feet; and mahogany accounted f.or 2779 M feet.

In the softwood lumber group Spruce was the most important species imported, totalling 24,16 M feet. Import of pine for the two month period of 1938 totalled 5743 M feet whereas fir and hemlock combined totalled 24,359 M feet.

The reciprocal trade agreement signed by the United States and Canada allotted Canada an annual quota of 250,000,000 board feet of Douglas fir and western hemlock to enter the United States at $2.0O duty and excise tax. From January 1st to February 26th, 1938, imports of these woods subject to this quota totalled, 24,O18,755 feet, according to preliminary figures supplied by the Bureau of Customs of the Treasury Department.

The Bureau of Customs also announced that imports of red cedar shingles from Canada during the period January 1 to February 26, inclusive, totalled 426,272 squares. Executive Order No. 7882 of February 25, 1938, limits importation of red cedar shingles from Canada to 916,246 squares during the first six months of the calendar year 1938.

Detailed monthly statistics on U. S. exports and imports of hardwood and softwood logs and lumber are compiled by the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce and are available from the Bureau on a subscription basis. Special statistics covering' imports subject to quota are compiled by the Customs Bureau and are made available to the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce.