How Lumber Looks

Douglas Fir-€urent new buein€ss of 216 identical mills reporting to the 'Wect Coast Lumbetmen's Association for the week ended July 30 was 41.5 per cent ovet production; shipments for the weelc wete 32.4 per cent over production. LJnfilled orders increased 3rl74r000 feet, new export busin€ss was 412601000 feet more and new domestic cargo orders show an' increase of. t3r67EroD feet as compared to the previous week. The local trade increase 116601000 feet while new rail business decreased 6541000 feet from the previous weelcts business.

Continued lower production and unsatisfactory values have forced higher asking prices by the mille. This, it is believed, has resulted in some forward buying and accounts for the gain shown in volume during t{re week ended July 30 in the domestic water markets. Many lumbermen believe the price bottom has been f,nally reached and anticipate that market firmness will result in increased lumber bufng, the Acsociation reports.

Productiono orders and shipments at drese 216 mills for the week ended lu,ly 30 were rqrorted as follows: Producion 48r4101058 feet; Orders 68,505,407 feet; Shipments 64rlol,23l feet.

Details of orders and shipments as teported by these mills follow: Orders-Rail 18,486,682 feet; Domestic Cargo 3O,O3lr661 feet; Export 13r6t5,t87 feet; Local 61351,677 feet. Ship. ments-Rail 19,948,293 feet; Domestic Cargo 23,7611769 I*t; Export l4r0r9r492 feet; Local 613511677 f.eet.

A total of 32L mills rqrorting to the Association for the week ended July 3O operated et 19.2 lrer cent of capacity, .ls Gompared to 18.8 per cent of capacity for the previous week and 39.4 per cent for the same week last year. During the weeL 2ll of. these plants were reported as down and 110 as operat. ing.

Inventories, as reported by t44 mills decreased 1019921000 feet from the week ended luly 27 and are 22.7 per cent less than at this time last /ear.

The matket looks better and Califomia wholesalers report that Fir mill prices have fitmed up. The mills are asking at least $1 or more on standard items of Commons, and Vertical Grain fooring is also firmer. Unsold stockg on the public docks at San'Pedro on August 10 toaled 313151000 feet, as compared to 3187610OO feet for the previous week. Cargo arrivals at San Pedro for the weeL ended August 6 totaled 8r42tr00{J fea, in- cluding 11 cargoes of Fir carrying 811561000 feet, and 1 cargo of Redwood with 267.OOO feet. 45 lumber vessels were operating in the California trade on August 6, with o,ne veescl, the Missolua, operating olf-shore; 65 vessels were laid up.

Vith lumber production at a lorr level and so,me increase in new business, lumber orders showed a favorable tedo oI 22 per cent above the cut during the week ended luly 30, according to reports received y the National Lumber Manufacturers Association from regional associations of manufacturers covering the operations of.6L7 teading hardwood and softwood mills. These mills produced 10913881000 feet Ordets amounted to t33r73OrOO0 f.e*. Shipments wete 1341446,000 feet or 23 pe-t cent above the cut. A week eatlier 656 mills reported production of 117,869,000 feet with orders 3 per cent below and ship. ments 1 per cent above the cut ***

The Southern Pine Association for the week ended July 30 reported new business from 10O mills as 2lA78rOO0 feet, shipments 2tr5951000 feet, and production l7r235r000 feet. Ordets were 25 per cent above production and 9 per cent belor+' ehipments. Shipments wete 77 per cent above production.

The Vestern Pine Association for the week reported new business from 117 mills as 3lr879r000 feet, shipments 34'9381000 feet, and producion 35r44lr000 feet. Orders were 10 per cent below production aqd 9 per cent below shipments. Shipments were I per cent below production.

177 hardwood mills reporting for the same week gave new business as 915161000 feet, or 28 pet cent above production, and ohipments 910791000 feeg or 22 pet cent above production. Producion was7,432,000 t*" * * * fletails of orders and shipments for the month were as follow: Orders-Northern California 3r959rOOO feet, Southern California lr793r000 feet, Vestern 60'000 feet, Eastern 2r872rOOO feet, Foreign 704rO0O fieet. Shipments-Northern Califomia 3r537rOG0 feet, Soutfiern Californie !.J42r0OO fea, Vestern 86'fiD feet, Eastern 2r74lr000 feet, Foreign 1331000 feet.

The California Redwood Association for the month of July relrorts orders received from 11 mills as 913881000 feet, orders on hand 1618211000 feet, shipments 8r239rOOO feet, and production 7101O000 feet.