Private Forest Tracts to be Surveyed With View to Reforestation of Cut-Over Lands

The National Lumber Manufacturers Association a,nnounced today the inauguration of a forest survey ty the Long-Bell Lu'm,ber Company of Kansas City, Mo., of its 750,000 acres of timber land holdings in southern .states, that is likely to mark an era in the problem of land utilization i,n the South. , The Long-Bell Lumtber Company, has established a division of forest research with John B. lMoods, forest eng'ineer, in charge for the purpose of making a complete survey of its lands which comprise two blocks in eastern Texas, four in western and ,northwestern Louisiana, one in Arkansas and one in eastern Mississippi.

The objective of the survey is'to determine the character of the lands with respect to soil and topography, the character and quantity of second-growth timber on cutoverareas, and the possibilities of reforestation or timber management upon all areas. The company seeks this information with the object of decidi'ng what shall be its policy concerning the areas now cut-over and those ,that will be in that status when the present virgin timber is removed. Some of the lands already contain a'considerable quantity of second-growth timber which may or may not be of any material use as a ,nucleus for a new-,man tended forest. There is also a considerable area of verv high-grade land which is pro'bably best adapted'to farming.

The whole 750,000 acres will be classified by Mr. Woods with a view to its future ,utilization agriculturrally''or forestally,-in the light of general and particular local conditions, and then to the formulation of a comprehensive plan for the administration or disposition of the land. The possibilities of utilization include forest m,anagement for"the perpetual growing of timber, agriculture, and a combination of agriculture, pasture and timber growing.

The.survey will also:take into account a comprehensivb study of general conditions in the South which it is expected; will be of great benefit to the entire southern'region in connection with the problem of what to 'do with the cutover lands of that rsection, which is already ptessing and will become acute when'the virgin timber has been removed, Lumber manufacture is a fundamental industry in t'he South, and the rfuture economic status of that region depends largely on the regrowth of timber or the successful utilization in some other manner of the land on which was grown the'tim'ber that has for decades suppor'ted an irn mense industrial activity with all its extensive social and commercial implications. There are 82,000,000 acres of cut-over land in the South, exclusive of farm.woodlots, of which 35,000,000 acres are not restocking, and only a small portion of the remainder is reproducing timber'correspondingly to its capacity.

LUMBER RATES HEARTNG SET JAN. l0

The railroad commission has set for heaning before Examiner W. P. Geary at Los Angeles, Jan. 10, 1924, the complaint filed by the Los Angeles Lumber Products Co. vs. the Southern Pacific Co., involving the rates on lumber and box shooks moving {rom, San Pedro to consuming points throughout California.

The allegations in the complaint are that the rates fiom San Pedro are excessive and unreasonable by comparison with the rates on lumber moving from interior mills, located within California, and from mills located in Oregon and Washington.

We wish to announce to the retail trade of California that we are in position to quote on parccla of

Rules for Underweight Settlements

With a view to obtaining closer cooperation between Shingle manufacturers and wholesalers in the matter of underweight settlements, the Rite-Grade Shingle Association, Shingle Branch of the West Coast Lumbermen's Association and the Pacific Coast Shippers' Association, have collaborated in forumlating the following rules.

l. An overcharge in rate or freight, or an error by the Railroad Company in extending the freight charge, where suclrl overcharge or error can be demonstrated, to the Manufacturer by generally accepted interpretation of published tariffs, is properly chargeable to the Manufacturer when such Manufacturer insists on the return of the origi- nal Freight Bill to verify underweight credit. And it is the Manufacturers duty in such cases to file claim against the Railroad Company for his own account unless he has a specific arrangement with his wholesaler to the contrary.

2. When a car of certain s,pecific size is ord,ered by a Wholesaler and the Manufacturer loads such a car to full visible capacity and Bill of Lading so certifies, then the Manufacturer shall only be required to protect charges on the basis of actual weight of the shipmernt, and if the car is sold in territory which does not protect actual weight, the Wholesaler is liable to the Manufacturer for underweights based on the actual weight.

3. When a car is put in transit by instruction of Wholesaler, (whether specific or under general order) and such car is loaded to full visible capacity and Bill of Lading so specifies, resale of such car is at Wholesaler's, risk in territory which does not protect actual Coast weights, and when so resold, Wholesaler's risk in territorv liable to the Manufacturer for underweights based on aciual weight.

4. When specific routing and stop-off instructions or other specific instructions are furnished to the Manufacturer by the Wholesaler and such instructions are shown on the Bill of Lading, and the Railroad Company in its Expense Bill charges refuses to recognize the validity of such instructions, then it shall be the duty of the Wholesaler to remit full underweights to the Mtanufacturer, filing claim for his own account if he considers the overcharge has been made.

5. In order to avail themselves to discount privileges on und,erweight settle,ments, Wholesalers should make final settlements within ninety days from date of invoice. However, under abnormal weather conditions or on account of embargoes, it is sometimes a physical impossibility to deliver stock rvithin the ninety day period and in such cases Wholesaler should 'be entitled to his discounts on underweight settlements if made u'ithin thi,rty days from delivery date, as shown by ths Expense Bill.

McCULLOUGH FAGAN LUMBER CO. WARNS LOS ANGELES CUSTOMERS ABOUT TELEPHONE NUMBERS

Mr. B. W. Bookstaver, Los Angeles manager for the McCullough Fagan Lumber Company, has been having 'serious trouble lately w,ith a mix-up in his telephone numbers, resulting in their not receiving numerous ntes-cages.

Tlreir oid numirer. 6023, has been discontinued. but srill shorvs in the riirectory.

'l'lre new number:.. 870-796 and 87A-797 are not listed in the current directory, but should ,be used, when calling Mr. Bookstaver or anyone else of the McCullough Fagan Lumber Company.

tOG

being hauled from the jungles of Central America, destined for

Western Hardwood Lumber Company