f f T S t'ZB -6, z GARB'S LOG BO L pi -^ss Manager is a LUMBER- ondents are every one of UMBERMEN. ur Subscriptions, and be a MAN. WALNUT LOGS And How to Prepare Them AND Hardwood Lumber AnI^ its Manufacture. ANSON A. GARD, , OF S. H. GARD'S SONS, Produce Exchangb Btjilding, S^ Room 210, NEW yo\ '\ PRICE, 25 CENTS'. f ^ PUBLISHED BY > rUBLlSMKlJ BY ^ \ The Nhw York Lumber Trade Journal^^ ^ 72 Wall Street, '. New York. / c^VH V Copyrighted, 1888, by ANSo|t A. Gard \- i / PREFACE. In preparing the following pages I have aimed to answer the many and varied questions asked by hundreds of corres- pondents who have written in response to my advertisement : ' ' Wanted Walnut Logs and Hardwood Lumber." Knowing that the same questions often arise in the minds of others, I take this means of reach- ing all wh© may be instructed by the an- swers. Having passed through all the different stages of a lumberman, from wielding the axe, in the forests of Ohio, up through the sawing of the lumber to its disposal, in this, the most exacting of mar- kets, I can claim a practical rather than a theoretical knowledge. I trust that my experience may prove of benefit to all in- to whose hands this little volume may chance to fall. Anson A. Gard. 10 East 14th St., New York City. PART FIRST. WALNUT LOGS AND HOW TO PREPARE THEM Few seem to know what an export log should be, but the number who think they know includes about all who have never before gottan out logs for export. These latter think that if a log is the required length and diameter it will pass, and that they should receive the quoted high price for it, and will feel, when the returns are received, that they have not been treated squarely. They forget that rough, crook ed, knotty logs make only cull lumber, and that when any market is over-stocked with just such timber, when at the best there is no demand for it, the price at which it will sell is very low indeed. An export log must be straight, sound, free from large limb, or rotten knots, free (8 O s: (A $ O (A E C8 (8 00 a o •M CO CI • (A O ^ t " 2 » ^ 3 O (0 o QD from heart checks or wind shakes and should not be cut shorter than 10 feet and as few under 12 feet as possible. SAW THE TREE DOWN. When the tree is selected to be felled, a notch should be cut in on the side to- ward which you wish to "throw " it, the centre of the notch should be cut in to- ward the heart much deeper than the sides ; when this is done start your saw a little above a line with the opposite notch and cut straight through. A tree can, not only be sawed down quicker than it can be cut w4th the axe, but when down it is also " butted," thus saving much extra work. HOW TO MARK OFF THE LOGS TO THE BEST ADVANTAGE. When the tree has been felled, mark it off so that each log will be straight. This can usually be done even in crooked trees, unless the crook be a short one, in which case cut it out and use the piece for balusters. By cutting the logs 10, 12, 14 and 16 feet, the full length of the tree can be worked up to good advantage. When it can be done, as before mentioned, make as many of the logs 12 feet long as you can, as this length is best for export logs and also the best length for lumber. CUT THE LOG STRAIGHT ACROSS. Often when a tree is felled it may lie on a side hill, in whicli case care must be tak- en not to cut the logs slant ways, which you are sure to do if \ ou let the saw "run." don't be "STINGY." Many a woodsman, in order to save an inch, loses a foot. He measures his log exactly, to the foot mark, which is all right (although a log should be an inch over) providing he can run his saw " true," but nine out of ten sawyers will run to the right or to the left, and the bottom of the log may lack just enough to lose a foot. So I say don't be stingy, when it will pay you to be a little generous. LOGS SHOULD BE HEWN. In some markets there is a duty on logs when they have been squared on the mill, while the same log will go duty free if hewn, besides a log looks better when prop- erly dressed with the broad axe. HOW TO DRESS A LOG. Too great care cannot be taken in se- lecting logs for shipping, as one or two questionable ones may reduce the value of a car load more than their value, while the freight on them is just as much aa for the good ones, thus you lose both logs and freight. Therefore make it a rule not to select a log about which you have the least doubt of it passing. Having selected your logs, draw them to the railroad if you ship by rail, and there hew them on four sides to show a face as per diagram taking care to use a large draw knife to smooth off the corners of the wanes, hav- ing first removed all bark therefrom. PAINT THE ENDS. When the logs are ready to ship, the ends should be painted with an inexpensive red paint. This not only prevents, to some extent, the logs cracking, but give* them a better appearance. LOGS SHOULD BE MARKETED AS SOON AS HEWED, I [^Just as soon as you have logs ready, 10 load them at once ; they will then come to market looking fresh and will please the buyer far better than if they have been allowed to become weather-beaten and sun-cracked. The logs may cut out as much lumber and the lumber may be just as good, but when a load of w^eather- beaten logs comes to market it is surpris- ing the difference 'in price they will bring. This is especially so in logs sent to foreign markets, where they are put up at auction to buyers who in the hurry and rush of a sale don't have time to carefully examine the lot, but who have to go by the looks, so that many a better lot of logs sells for less money than an inferior one well dressed and fresh looking. HOW TO HAUL LOGS. , In a country where snow covers the ground during the long winter months no one need be told to use a sled or drag, but where snow is the exception, or where it is never seen, a wagon must be used. There are wagons and wagons. I have been in countries where a regular log wagon would have been a curiosity. Here he loggers have from time without date 11 hauled thf^ir logs on the high- wheeled farm wagon. Two men are required, as the high wheel and sometimes both wheels on one side must be taken off, and the axles propped up. After much bother the log is finally loaded, and if more than one is to be taken on the load, the same process must be gone through with and when the mill yard is reached, the wheel or wheels must again be removed. No one who follows logging can afford to use such a wagon when they can get one with which one man can do twice as much work in a day and do it easy to himself. This is the low, broad tread log truck, requiring only to be driven alongside the log, "skids "run down from the tops of the wheels, the chain thrown under the log and back again to the opposite side of the wagon, then fastened to the "stretchers," the horses started, and your log is landed on the bolsters, and all in half the time re- quired by the old tedious way. Count- ing the extra man and the time wasted, one could pay for a log wagon in a very short time. Another advantage is that the 12 tire or tread being broad, a much larger load can be hauled over soft ground, as the wheels do not " cut in" like a narrow tread. Logs or Lumber ? " Which will pay me the better, to shij) my Walnut in the log or saw it into lum- ber ?" This question is the first one asked when the owner of Walnut timber is ready to make disposal of his wood. The answer to the above will depend entirely on the given lot of trees. If they run large and smooth, it will pay to ship them in the log, but if there are but few large trees and many small ones, it will pay to saw them into lumber, as the large logs will enhance the value of the product more than can be realized from selling in the log, even at the higher price at which the logs would sell. There are many ad- vantages in selling logs instead of sawing them — other things being equal. In the first place the tree can be cut down and the logs delivered in market almost as soon as it could be sawed into lumber, thus gaining all the time required for sticking 13 up and drying,' five months at least saved, which to one of moderate means is a long while to wait. Again, every producer of lumber will always prefer to know how much his stock will bring as it runs. When sold in the log, there is but one price, while if sawed into lumber the same log is sold at three and in some markets at four prices, and the aggregate price governed by an in- spector who may never have seen a Wal- nut tree grow. TELL WHAT YOU HAVE TO SELL AND WHAT YOU WANT FOR IT. Don't write to a log buyer or lumber dealer and say, "I have some logs,' or "some lumber; what will you pay for them? " or " it " as the case may be. The fact that " it is good stuff !" don't convey any notion of what it is, or what it is worth. Take for illustration of how you should write to inform a buyer tnat you have logs for sale : Mr. A. Dear Sir : I have, now ready to ship, two carloads of Walnut logs. 14 fresh hewed and in good order. There are 26 logs in the lot and they measure as follows : (Give lengths and diameters, being careful not to measure more than they contain). I will deliver these at (give point of destination) for $ — per M feet. Yours, etc., J. S. When the buyer receives this letter he knows that ''J. S. "has some logs: he knows how many , and what they contain ; he knows that the writer means business, for he has put a price on his stock, and the result will be that J. S. will sell, and have the money invested in more trees, be- fore the man who says: "||I've got some- thing, what will you give me for it?" will even^'get a reply to his letter. This is an age when men must be definite, if they would succeed — the man who don't tell what he has to sell will be passed by the one who lets the buyer know what he has to offer and what he wants for it. One word of advice to J.S. and others who may write what they have to offer. Don't say that you have two cars of logs, that one will run twenty-four inches and larger, for 15 which you will take $- per M . , and one car twenty to twenty-three inches at $ — , and in shipping them put some of the small ones in the higher priced car and expect to get the higher price for them, just be- cause they were all together. This would seem unnecessary advice ; had I not had a recent case of this kind I never would have thought that it could occur. POPLAR LOGS. Poplar — or miscalled Whitewood — logs are now being exported from localities where the rate of freight will w^arrant theri shipment. The same rule for the preparation of Walnut logs will apply t# Poplar. They must be evenly hewed on four sides and the wanes smoothly dressed. I would call the attention *of the hewer to one point in particular in preparing the log. Don't cutaway too much of the wood, i. e., don't square the log, as by some measurements there is a great loss over Scribner. A point in question. Two cars of Poplar logs, measured here by Scribner, have just been rejected in a German mar- 16 ket on account of being too much squared. Thus not only a loss of wood, but a sale lost. CHERRY LOGS. Different from Walnut, Poplar, Gum and such other rough bark woods. Cherry- is shipped round. This may also be said of what few Ash logs there are exported. WHEN TO CUT TIMBER. "When the sap is at work building up new tissues, making new leaves and twigs, the tree when felled is most apt ta "check" when made into logs. For this, reason valuable timbers should be cut be- fore the middle of March, in this climate,, and earlier in the far South, then in July or August, when the sap has done its work and is at rest, you may begin and con- tinue till March again. It is well in mak- ing Walnut logs to have a bucket of glue water and broad brush, and as soon as the log is sawed off " size "the ends, which when dry tends to keep out the air and prevents checking. This " sizing " is sim- ply made with ordinary glue dissolved in hot water and made very thin. Much more could be said on the subject 17 of logs, but it would not change the one important fact that only good ones are re- quired, and poor ones will ever prove a risk to a shipie*. If you who have logs will bear this fact in mind you will find that it 'will pay you a large per cent, in satisfaction and the buyer will never tell you : " He has enough of your stock," 18 GARDS LOG RULE. The log rule used more generally, per- haps, than all others is the Doyle, or as better known, " Scribner by Doyle." In the following rule, which in the result is about the same as Doyle's for the larger logs, I have made the smaller to contain in the aggregate more lumber, as it is well known that a small log will cut out more than Doyle gives . In the larger logs the result, as above stated, is about the same, but much simpler in counting up a row of figures, as a glance at the rule will show. Logs are by custom always meas- ured at the small end, and in Walnut logs the sap is either measured or not, as agreed to by the buyer and seller. There are a number of other rules in this coun- try, but I have found the following more nearly correct than any of them. As logs are seldom cut more than 34 feet I have made that the limit. If you should have one 30 feet long and 24 inches in diameter, you have but to take the contents of a 15 feet log, 24 inches in di- ameter, and double its contents. This will hold good in any other length over 24 feet 19 LOG TABLE— GARD'S RULE. LOGS REDUCED TO INCH BOARD MEASURE. 5S OiOOiOOOiCOiOOOiOOiCOOlC C0'<:h:0t-Ci'r-(C?^10t-a5O0?e0i0i>'Q0 53 OiOOiOOOiOOiOOiOiOOiCOOO TH.^T-n-iTHr-iTHCOOOST-(0:iCO'^iO«Ot- T-(THT-lT-lTHT-lTHT-tT-lT-IO?0?0<(MO:j(MC{>OOC50T-ic:?CO'* 20 LOG TABLE— GARD'S RULE. LOGS REDUCED TO INCH BOARD MEASURE. ^^l0l-0OC0i>t-G0a005OOT-iTH0?COOiOlOiOiOOOOOOOiOO ;5Ct 05 "^ C5J ^ Ci CO OO CO 00 CO 00 CO 00 CO 00 (?? i> ^fO CO-^^ lO lO CO «D t- t- OO 00 C5 OJ O O -^ T-i lOOlOOlCOOlOO-OOlOOLOOOiO o^ioo^05-*aocot-oj?DTHLooioo5 CO'^^lOJOlOOOL— t-0DQ001C5OOO Is OOOiOiOOOiOOOOiOJCiOOOLO -^00 0>i»OtOCiC0t-0?«0O-^00C0i:^i-l COCO^^OOlOOCOC^t^OOODOOCiCSO OOOOOOOiOiO»0»0 000000 T-il00iC0i>T-H^G0 0^i»O^G0 0>OO^ cococOTt^Tt^lClOiOl:DO^-^-^:-oooociG5 ?s CiCOCOCO-^-'^tlOl-OlCCDOOt-t-t^ODOO ^ lOiOOlOlOOlOiOOOlOOOOiOlOlO St~ COOiCOcoClCOOCiCOOOiCOCOOlOiiOOS pN O'JO.iCOcOCO^^-^lOlOlCCDO^Dt-t-t- ^ OOiOiOOOiOiOOOiOLOOOiCiOO 0?lOi>OC0C000i-i'*t^0iWO00OC0C0 Oi(MC3COCOCOCO^-^'^-*10l01Cia5CO<» -; I o lo o ic o lo o lo o o o »o o ic o io o rjM I 0:iCQC-ico:oooocoiot-C5c^M^ T-lCQG^iOiWG^COCOCOCO'^^TtH^^lOlO o?5 OOOiO*0»OiC>iOiOiO»OiCiO»OiOiOiC ja-I O0DO0i^C000O0i'*<;D00O0i'^C000 I'M TH-rHC5'7}01 -T-H o oi xi c- :o £-** i> GO 05 C5 O —1 0:i CO -* LO O t- GO OD CI O 'tH _; 1 »o o JO o LO o o lO o to o o 0*000 .=; r-1 1 X) t- 10 ^ 0^ tH 30 t- iO rf 0? -^ 01 00 ir- 10 q-* Ot-GOOiOrHOlO^JCO^iOCOC-t-GOOiO ■l3 00000 LOLOLOLOOOO 0000 LO lOOO-rHOSC-LOCO-^Cit-lD^O^OXCD-^ ?0t-G0CX:)05OT-H0.">CQC0^1OO^-t-000i gs OOLOOOLOOOiOOOiOOLOLOOO ,^ Oi ?0 ^ -H OS t- LO O? GO LO CO 00 -^ ?D«DJr-a005050i-HO^COCO'*iOO<:0!t-GO 1^ OOOiOiOOOiOiOOOOLOOOOtO G0l0 0:>05<»'*-^G0L0C0Ot"^C^0i?0C0 10:0C-t-a00iOOTHo?oocooiio TtOiOOrHrHC^OJCO HJS OOOSOi-HC^CO-^iOOt-jOOOiO^WCO-rt^ LCG TABLE— GARD'S RULE. T-t CO oo 00 i> C9 CO LOGS REDUCED TO INCH BOARD MEASURE. iOOlOOOiCOiOOOlO •^^COCOCOOJC^t-ItHt-iO t-OST-HCOlOt— OS-rHCOlOt- iOiOiOiCiOOOOOOiO ^eoc^T-ioosoot-oioco ?D00O0?TtllCC-05THC010 OOiOOOiOiOiOOOiO lOCO-r-HOOOCO^CQ-rHOiC- iOt~Oi^O?^fiOGOO-r-tOO o? c X o C O CO CO CO Tf l o to o o o JO ^ c--^ o c^ -<*i io t- as CO coco CO CO lO" o o" io o Oi 00 CO C5 lO 1-1 O? ^ lO i> CO CO_CO CO CO o o o o o o oo lO o O-^ CO-rt< o CO COCO coco s^ pS I o CO ~o O 00 O T-t O^ Oj o »o" coo oo O CO ooo ■rHCQ oo o to £-C5 T-H T-H -rH -r-H 0:j o to ' t-00 QIC •So. it- ^^. O O ' to O i ooo < to o^ 00 CO i to t- < o to CN> to to i» to to~ to 00 "^ to o O to CO CO OJ CO to c^ CO coco to to o tH O 05 O? Ttl to CO CO CO oo to O 00 CO ^ o? ^ CO CO CO to o to 00 CO CO Oi ^ CO O^ CO CO o o' t- ^ 1-1 00005 c<> co_co to" lb o" «5 C? 05 C- Ci o CQ Ci o^ "to o"o iO -rH t- •^ X C31 01 O^ Oi "o o"o" to o to to £-00 CQ O^ CQ oo to to OS CO --^^ to t- lO to to ^ 00 OJ CO ^ CO OJ g? O j oo to to ODtH O^ CO to o too oo Oltr- OOOt-h tH CO C-05 C w tooo !5 O •.-! OJ' oo - CD O? ■ CO to I I ^ I OS [^ I 05 oo CO to CO ^ _T-( T-( o"tb" t-00 CO CO Ci CO tMO I lOOO to ooo O T-H CO CO e ? CO CO 'O o o to to co^ coooo '^ to CO i> OS CO CO CO CO CO PART SECOND. HARDWOOD LUMBER, AND ITS MANUFACTURE. If the manufacturer of Hardwood lum- ber would pay the same attention to his business as the Pine man does to his, there would be less dissatisfaction about the in- spection of his lumber. If he learned the requirements of this or any other mar- ket he would know that to please, he must send his product in in good condition. There are too many sawyers of Hardwood who have merely "picked up " the *' trade " the result is that many a No. 1 log, which if handled as a Pine sawyer would handle it would turn out valuable lumber, but instead it is not sawed with judgment and the result is one-half its value is gone, and even the good is not extra. To know how to properly put a "carriage" on its foun- dation so that j't will run true; to know how 24 to set a saw with just enough "set" to cut smooth, even lumber; to know how to put a log on the carriage to cut as few " heart " boards as possible; to know when to "turn " a log — in short, to know how to get the best results out of logs is not in the power of him who has merely "picked up" his trade, and the sooner this is learned by the manufacturer of valuable lumber, the better for the credit side of his bank account. The prevailing custom of paying a stated price per thousand feet for sawing is another cause of much poorly sawed lumber. The sawyer may know his busi- ness thoroughly, but to work up to his knowledge may require more- extra time than he is willing to devote to ' ' the other man's " interests, and the result is he does a good day's work in the number of feet he has sawed, but the man for whom the work was done doubly pays for it. How much better it would be for both mill owner and the man who is having the work done could they agree on a stated price per hour. It may seem a broad as- sertion, but I venture to say that by this 25 arrangement the man for whom the saw- ing is done — providing the logs sawed be valuable timber — will gain enough to pay for the whole day's sawbill, as by this plan the sawyer can see advantages to be taken of a log which never would have occurred to him if quantity instead of quality were taken into consideration. The mill owner who saws his own logs need not be told that care must be taken, and yet many will "butcher" their own. timber as though they were not sa^xdng money out of their own pockets every hour they run their mills. These are the men who want the lumber buyers from the large markets to pay them the same price that the careful sawyer gets for his product, and will think they have not been fairly dealt with if they are made to pay for their own mistake. How TO Saw a Walnut Log. , I have tried many ways for getting the most good lumber out of logs, and find this is best: first take off a slab, turn the slab side down upon the carriage and saw the log through past the heart until you 26 get a clear face if the log be a good one, then turn it over against the head blocks and saw until you have a wide clear facp, which may leave a plank two, three or four inches thick, owing to the size of the log. Then take the sawed boards or plank and after running the head blocks back 24 or more inches, place the boards or planks, whichever you have sawed, so that the saw will edge them properly. To deter- mine just where the saw will come may be done by "sighting," or better still by the man at either block using a two foot measure, which placed across the board, back to the block, will show how far out to place it (the board); treat the other edge the same way and if the heart runs straight enough not to cut away too much lumber, saw it out. A better way to edge lumber, but requiring extra machinery,) is to have attached to the mill an edging saw bench. In this way the lumber can be edged as fast as the log is sawed and where a mill can be so provided the result will show that it pays well. Of course where the logs are poor so much care is not necessary, but one thing 37 I have paid dearly to learn and that is, no log can be too poor to neglect to Saw Full Thickness. Thousands of dollars have been lost in not urging upon the sawyer the great im- portance of sawing full. There is a double loss in thin lumber. It drops one grade if inch, and will often be refused alto- gether, while, on the other hand, if a car load of lumber is plump, but really a little inferior, its thickness will often sell it, so that a manufacturer cannot urge too em- phatically upon his sawyer to be liberal in thickness. A stout 1-16 for fg and 1 inch and a scant }^ for inch and a quarter and inch and a half, and full % for two inch; for three and four inch 3-16 is not too much; better be too thick than too thin. Saw Even Thickness. A careless sawyer will often allow his log to " cant "out, making one edge^of the board plump while the other edge may lack just enough to spoil the board for the grade into which its quality would place it. This same result more often 28 occurs from the carnage not being proper- ly set in place or again the saw may heat and "run." A good sawyer will see that everything is kept in perfect order and stop at once to adjust his mill at the first mis-cut board. How TO Stick Lumber. Not a mill man in the country but avIio can tell(?) just how to properly stick lum- ber, and when to stick it, and yet when the lumber is marketed it shows that some of the many have made a grave mistake, especially so in the case of Poplar, and other light colored lumber. In sawing Poplar, when it is green with sap, it should bejstuck up at once, as if left piled to- gether it will " sap color" in a few hours. "Haven't time " will not answer! If you care to get the full value of your lum- ber, you must stick it up as fast as sawed. This is true of Oak, and in fact of all lum- ber affected by sap. Lumber manufac- turers often wonder why their stock is not as bright and nice as some they have seen. If these same men continue to saw their lumber and pile it close together and 29 leave it until they have time to stick it up, then I can assure them they will spend the rest of their days wondering. This should be the order in importance with them, first how to keep the lumber bright, then next how to saw it properly. Use Narrow Strips, And under no circumstances may they be green, as they will most certainly color the wood w^herever they touch and if left too long will rot it. If you have no dry sticks and are on a railway line, buy a car load and run them to your uiill; it will be money well spent, and the first sawing you do let it be on a good supply of stick- ing lath, which will soon be dry enough to use. Walnut should be piled together as soon as sawed and will receive no injury if not stuck up for some time after sawing. The sap seems to dry out faster w^hen finally the lumber is put on sticks than if stuck right from the saw. To Dry Lumber Fast. If you have plenty of mill yard room pile your lumber thus: Set the piling 30 blocks at least a foot from the ground and with sufficient fall to let the rain run off readily when the pile is finished and covered. Begin by laying the first course with the boards say 6 inches apart if wide and the narrow ones put two together, and build the pile in this order, so that when finished the spaces started in the first course will run to the top of the pile. The openings will be so many chimneys, dry- ing out the lumber more in one month than in three months the old way. Start the next pile at least twenty inches away and so continue covering your yard and you will be surprised how soon you can begin shipping dry lumber. One point more in the sticking of lumber in which there are sappy boards; instead of placing these boards away in the centre of the pile they should be put on the outside as far as possible, so that they will get the more air, and again, these boards should be laid with the sap side down. It may seem use- less advice, but a glance into the mill yards of some of the smaller mill owners will show that they may well be told to stick each length lumber together. 31 No mill is complete without an " evener." It pays for itself Diany times over, as where each board in a car comes into mar- ket exactly even length, it is no trouble to find a buyer. The enterprising mill man is finding this out to his profit. How TO Ship Lumber. When you have cut your logs good lengths, carefully sawed them into even lumber, and properly stuck it up and have it ready for shipping ; you have then only reached that point where you will begin receiving a return for your labors. If you have done your work well, your returns will show it, as good lumber is always in demand. But if you have allowed your logs to be run to the mill with no care about square ends, and have had them sawed in a careless manner, or if after hav- ing used all precautions up to this point, to get good lumber, you fail to care for it properly after it leaves the saw, then your returns will also show it. Poor stock requires a special sale for every car, while one car of good lumber only opens the way for as many as the buyer may need. 33 If you ship your lumber " all rail," load it with even ends showing, so that a good impression is given when the car is opened, as many a buyer will judge the lumber by the way it is loaded, on the principle that one who will load a car in a careless man" ner will also manufacture the same way. Unless so ordered, a car should not con- tain mixed lengths, i. e., 10, 12, 14 and 16 feet, all thrown in together, as so many shippers are wont to load it. If different lengths must be shipped, load each one by itself and not promiscuously. It looks bet- ter and will sell far more readily. TELL what's in A CAR. Don't write to your consignee and say, " I've just shipped you a car of lumber." Tell him wliat you have sent as nearly as possible. Say : "I have loaded a car of [give the kind] lumber for you, containing the following." Then give number of feet, number of pieces, thickness, length, how well seasoned, and any general re- marks you may think will aid the seller in describing the lumber to a customer. If the stock is at all desirable, it will be sold by the time it arrives, and can be ordered 83 at once direct to its destination, with no demurrage or storage charges to eat into the profits. To merely say, " I've sent you some Juinber," or, worse still, not to say anything^about it, the consignee really knows nothing until he sees the stock, and must find a place for it, after it ar- rives, requiring so much time that very often it will have to be stored, which means that you have either bo ^ght your lum- ber at a very low price or that you and the profits are to remain strangers. SEND BUT ONE GRADE. It may be some trouble to select the grades, but it will pay to do so. One car of "log run" Poplar or Walnut will re- quire more time to sell than it will take to dispose of ten. of all one grade lumber ; beside this it will cost far more money to handle it, as it must be carted to as many different places as there are grades in the car. The above will apply as well to thicknesses, as ONLY ONE THICKNESS should be sent in the same car. While flve men may want a car of inch lumber, 34 it will be hard to find one who will care for a car J with three or four thicknesses; especially is this true of Poplar. don't sell what you cannot furnish. If mill men would be held clooe to their contracts, the above advice would be but useless words The men to whom this does not apply need not take it to them- selves, as I only wish to talk to the mill man who will positively agree to fill a specific order at a stated time, and when he finds it inconvenient to furnish the stock, quietly drops it, as though he had not given his word to furnish it. He forgets that the other man, especially if he should be a novice, may have in turn sold the order to arrive at a stated time, and not being able to furnish it, must pay for any loss occasioned by not filling the contract. Do what you agree to do. It may cost you money the first deal, but you will be placed upon the list of *' square men," and you can always drive a better bargain for it, as you can be counted upon and your trade will be sought after. 35 WHAT RAILROAD TO PATRONIZE. Many of my readers are located where they can have a choice of roads over which to send their lumber to market. It is not always the one with the most agreeable agent at the point of shipment who should get the patronage. It is the road that will aim to give you full value for your money, and be willing to promptly adjust an error where one has been made, and not tire you out by a species of red tape cal- culated to discourage you from ever again trying to get back what it has taken from your profits. Again, choose the road that will handle your lumber in lightering as though it were of value, and not to be. thrown about and split by careless han- dling. All shippers should see that the agent writes across the bill of lading "LIGHTERAGE FREE," as most roads now will give free lighter- age where it is so written across the bill. Otherwise there is an extra charge of 3 to 43^ cents per hundred pounds. In these papers I may have said many things which would seem to be unneces- 36 sary, but there is not an absurd line in all the number, as each one will fit into some particular instance. To those who already know the requirements of this and other particular markets — and all markets are each year calling for better manufactured Hardwood lumber — I do not ask to take my advice to themselves, as I have been talking to that mill man who blindly works on year after year, wondering why he don't succeed. I want him to stop wondering and do his work better — do it as his successful competitor does his. It may require more care, but his bank account will show that he has stopped working for nothing. 37 WEIGHT OF LUMBER. Shippers are often at a loss to know what it will cost them to market their lumber, even after they know the rate of freight from any given point. The following will be found to be a useful ta- ble. It is not infallable as lumber differs in weight owing to the degree of dryness, but it will be found quite accurate. EXPLANATION OF TABLE. First will be found the'name of the wood then its weight seasoned, after which what the freight will be at 1 cent per hun dred lbs. at 5 cents per hundred and last ly, at 10 cents per^hundred. With its Ic. 5c. and 10c. given, any other rate can eas ily be calculated. Example : What will be the freight on 1,000 feet of Poplar on 23c. rate? Since 1,000 feet weigh 2,750 lbs, it will cost two 10c. and three Ic. as per the table, — i. e., at 10c. it will cost $2.75, at Ic. 271^ cts.; therefore, two 10c. 38 will be $5.50 and three Ic. will be 823^ cents, or $6.33i^ per M. feet. Ash Beech Birch. Basswood Butternut Cherry Chestnut Cedar Cottonwood Cypress Dogwood Ebony Elm Hemlock Hickory Holly Mahogany . . , Maple Oak Pine, Pitch.., Pine, White.. Pine, Yellow, Poplar Sycamore . . . , Walnut Weight Ic. 5c. jseas'n'd 3,500 rate. rate. $1 75 4,500 45 2 25 3,000 30 1 50 2,250 22i< 1 121^ 2,200 22 1 10 3.500 35 1 75 3,000 30 1 50 3,000 30 1 50 3,000 30 1 50 3,000 30 1 50 4,000 40 2 00 7,000 70 3 50 3.000- 30 1 50 2,000 20 1 00 4,500 45 2 25 4.500 45 2 25 4,500 45 2 25 4,300 43 2 15 4,500 45 2 25 4,000 40 2 00 2,750 ^^K 1 37K 3,200 32 1 60 2,750 27K 1 37K 4,000 40 2 00 3,500 35 1 75 lOc. rate. $3 50 4 50 3 00 2 25 2 20 3 50 3 00 3 00 3 00 39 62 OOOiOOOOOOOOOOiO-rJHO O O to i-; CO O O 00 CI O CO '^ O i^ C^ CO ^ CO* CO' CQ Ci Ci Ci T-i ^ OOlOi>iOOOOlOOiOOlOt-CC0T-iOO^^i0T-iCQ0JC0T-iTH tH\ r-i\lN|0 OOiCt^C0OOG0OOC0^i01>C^C0 Ttl CO CO 03 CJ G CO O O^OO OO^CO-^iOt-WCO '^'' CO* CO*" c^' co' c be oj^ 'So 40 WEIGHTS OF DOOBS, SASH AND BLINDS. Size. 4 panel, 2-6x6 6. 4 '• 2-8x6-8. 4 " 2-10x6-10. 4 '* 3x7. 1 3-16 13-8 82 lb. 35 lb. u '• 38 " 3-) " 43 " 3S •' 48 " _13-4_ 47 lb. 50 " 54 " 60 " Four panel, 2 it. In. x G f r. 6 in., 26 lb. FOUR litOHT WINDOWS, CHECK RAIIi, Size. 12x24 12 X 28. 12x32. 12 X 36. 14x30. 14 X 32. 14 X 34. 14 X 36. 'Ss^-lGta'-^ll 13 8 21!^ lb. 24 " 26 " 30 " 28 ♦• 305^ " 35 '♦ " 33 " Un- glazed. 11 lb. \1}6 " 13 " 14 " 11% •' 12M " 131^ " 15 " EIGHT LIGHT WINDOV/S. Xl2. Xl4.. xl6 xl4.. xl6.. xl8.. x20 138 17 lb. 19 " 22 " 23 " 24 " 27 " 32 " 8 lb. 11 " 12 " 11 " 12 " 13 *' 14 " TWELVE LIGHT WINDOWS. 8x10. 9x32. 9x12 10 X 14. 10x16 10x18 13 16 14 lb. •' 18 " 138 21 " 26 " " 27 " " 33 " 6 1b. BLINDS, TWELVE LIGHT WINDOWS. 8 X 10 1 3-16 141b. 9 X 12 17 " lOx 14 20 " 10 X 16 .... 22 '* lOx 18 24 " 10 X 20 27 " s ^ O 3 CO 1^ MouldiugS, 1x1 in., per 100 ft. lineal, 16 lb. 41 PART THIRD, SQUARES. Around every saw mill there is always a lot of odds and ends of Walnut to be found, which can be cut into squares to good profit, since tbey cost but the time and labor of sawing them. Small logs and large tops of trees may also be cut into squares, and if carefully sawed, will pay for the labor of collecting. To saw squares to advantage, a mill must be provided with a small saw bench with rip and cut-off saws. The latter should be arranged to swing. Squares must be in a manner perfect, free from sap and knots, and cut true and full thickness. If, however, a small knot or a little sap appear on the corners, or where it will turn off, it will pass, but there will always be a question as to how little or how much will be allowed. Therefore, to 42 be sure of a sale in the one case, cut off the knot and make the square one length shorter, and in the otlier, cut off the sap and make it the next size smaller. They should always be made a little longer than the length to be used, in order that the ends can be squared. AH short lengths and sizes under 4 inches should be bundled and tied with tarred twine, as the time it takes at the mill where labor is cheap is far more than made up where it costs 25 to 40 cents an hour to handle them one at a time. NEWELS. In cutting newels, never leave the heart in any piece, with the impression that it can be bored out and serve as well as though it had been clear. It is possible you may find a buyer, but the chances are that it will take so long to find him that your newels will be worthless from split- ting, by the time he is found. This is true also of lumber. Never cut heavy lumber from the heart. It will split in drying. 43 SIZES OF SQUARES. Some sized squares are used the same lengths in all markets, while again other sizes are peculiar to particular markets. NEW YORK SIZES. Chair and Lounge Stock. IMxlM, 16, 18 inches, Walnut. 11^x11^, 18,24 - 1/^-^x15.^, 18 " '' • 1^x13^, 18 2x2, 14, 18, 24 inches Walnut and Cherry. 2}ix2l4, 12, 24 *' 3^x23^, 12, 24 '* BALUSTERS. Walnut, Cherry, Ash. l%xl%^ one-fourth 28, three-fourths, 32. l^xlM, " 2 x2, 2Mx2i^. 21^x21^, 3 x3. Any multiple of the above lengths will do if allowance is made for cutting off to the proper length. 44 TABLE LEGS. Walnut, Cherry, Ash. 3x3, 28. NEWELS. Walnut, Cherry, Ash, Poplar. 4x4, 12, 14, 16 feet long. 5x5, >' " " 6x6, " " " 7x7, '• ♦' " 8x8, " " " PHILADELPHIA SIZES. This market differs from New York in two particulars. The balusters run one- fourth 32 in. and three-fourths 36 in., and will take newel posts 4 feet long ; i. e., it does not object to them that length, while New York does. Other markets use about the same as the two given, with pos- sibly some minor differences. Of all the sizes, the balusters are the best, since the proportion used is so much greater than the other dimensions. 45 SIZES FOR THE ENGLISH MARKET. The following are the prevailing sizes called for in (he English markets : 2 x2x 163^ and 28. 2^x21^x101^, 161^ and 28. 2^x2J4xl(i^ and 28. 3 x3 xlOi^ and 28. 33^x33^x26, 5 per cent. 4 x4 x26, 45 per cent. 43^x43^x26, 20 per cent. 5 x5 x26, 12 per cent. 53^x51^x26, 9 per cent. 6 x6 x26, 9 per cent. The demand for the first three sizes is always good, the next size is fair, and for the others, I have followed each by about tlie per cent, of the demand for that partic- ular size. In sawing, bear in mind that these lengths or any multiples will be taken. The longer the square can be cut the bet- ter, and the larger the more valuable it is. SIZES FOR THE GERMAN MARKET. This market is a distributing point for Russia and all the surrounding countries of Germany. 46 The following are the prevailing sizes : 13^x11^x28 and 32. 2 x2 x28, 30, 32 and 36. 2>^x2Kx" " " 3 x3 x" '* " 33^x33^x" " " 4 x4 x" " " " 4Kx4Kx" '' '' 5 x5 x3G. Very little demand for the first two sizes, and good decaand for the 2^^ and the 3. Tlie best lengths are 30 and 32 inches. GARD'S DECIMAL SQUARE RULE. The following rule will be found indis- pensable to all mill men who cut out squares, and to yard dealers who sell them. By means of the decimal, much time and work are saved, EXPLANATION OF THE TABLE. In the left hand column will be found the length in inches, or further down the length in feet, and at the top of the page you will tind the size of the square, and beneath the decimal of each length. When you wish to find the contents of any num- ber of squares you multiply this number by 47 the decimal opposite the length of the squares and point off ms many figures as there are decimals. The amount before the decimal point will be the contents in feet. EXAMPLE. How many feet are there in 655 pieces 3x3x30 ? The number opposite this di- mension M'ill be found to be 1'875, i. e., one foot and eight hundred and seventy-five one thousandth of a foot. Multiply first by the whole foot — 655 feet, then by the de- cimal -875=573,125 ; mark off the 125 and you have 573. 655 and 573, contents, 1,228 feet. If the decimal begin with a 0, as •092, you multiply by the 92, but mark off three figures just the same. 48 L. m X m. L. m X 1%. Tn. Bee. Ft. In. Dec. Ft. 12 018 12 0-22 18 .... 0-141 13 0-238 U .. 0-151 14 2{56 15 0-162 15 0-275 If) 0-173 16 293 17 0-185 17 0-311 18 0195 18 ...... 33 19 . . : 206 19 .... : 0-848 20 215 20 0-366 21 0-227 21 0-385 22 288 22 .... 0-403 28 0-249 23 422 24 26 24 44 25 0-271 25 0-458 26 282 26 0-476 27 292 27 495 28 303 28 .... 513 29 0-314 29 0-531 80 . . . 825 30 .... 55 81 0-33(1 31 0-568 82 . . . . : 0-347 32 0-586 88 0-358 33 ... 605 84 369 34 0-623 85 379 85 0-641 36 0-39 36 .... 0-66 Ft. Ft. 4 0-52 4 0-88 5 ... 0-651 5 1 091 6 0-781 6 .... 1-82 7 0-911 7 .... 1-54 8 ...... 1041 8 1-76 9 1-171 9 1-98 10 1 -302 10 2-198 11 1 431 11 2-419 12 .. .. 1562 12 2-64 49 L. lY, X 1%. L. m X m. In. Dec. Ft. In. Dec. Ft. 12 0-187 12 255 13 0-203 13 0-276 14 0-218 14 0-297 15 0-234 15 0-319 16 0-25 16 0-34 17 0-265 17 361 18 ...... 0-281 18 0-382 19 0-297 19 404 20 .... 0-312 20 0-425 21 0-328 21 0-446 • 22 0-343 22 0-467 28 0-359 23 0-489 24 0-375 24 0-51 25 0-39 25 0-531 26 0-406 26 0-553 27 .... 0-421 27 0-574 28 .... 437 28 0-595 29 0-453 29 0-616 30 0-468 30 0-638 31 0-484 31 0-658 32 5 32 0-68 33 0-515 33 0-701 34 0-531 84 0-723 35 0-546 85 0-744 30 .... 0-562 36 765 Ft. Ft. 4 0-75 4 1-02 5 0-987 5 1-276 6 1125 6 1-531 7 1-312 7 1-786 8 1-5 8 .... 2-041 9 1-687 9 2-296 10 1-875 10 2-552 11 2 062 11 2-807 12 2-25 12 3-062 50 L. 2X2. L. 2^ X 2^. lu. Dec. Ft. In. Dec. Ft. 12 0-333 12 0-421 13 0-361 13 457 14 0-388 14 .... 0-492 15 416 15 0-527 IG 0-444 16 0-562 17 ...... 0-472 17 597 18 05 18 0-632 19 0-527 19 667 20 555 20 703 21 583 21 0-738 22 0-611 22 0-773 28 0-638 23 0-809 24 0-666 24 0-843 2.-) 0-694 25 0-878 2C) 0-722 26 914 27 75 27 0-949 28 0-777 28 0-984 29 0-805 29 1019 30 0-833 30 1054 31 0-861 31 1 089 32 0-888 32 1-125 33 0-916 S3 1-16 34 0-944 1 34 1-195 85 0-972 ' 35 1-23 36 1 36 1-26') Ft. Ff. 4 1-333 ! 4 1-687 5 1-666 i 5 2-109 6 2 6 2-531 7 .... 2-333 7 .... 2-953 8 2-666 8 3-375 9 3- 9 3 796 10 3-333 10 4 218 11 3-666 11 4-64 > 12 4- 12 5-062 51 L. 1 2i^x2Vf. L. 3X3. In. 1 Dec. Ft. In. Dec. Ft. 13 . 52 12 0-75 13 0-564 13 0-812 14 . 0-607 14 0-875 15 0-651 15 0-944 16 . 0-695 16 1- 17 . 0-739 17 1-062 18 0-781 18 1-125 19 ... 0-824 19 1-187 20 868 20 1-25 21 0-911 21 1-312 22 954 22 1 375 23 .... 0-998 23 1-437 24 .... 1041 24 1-5 25 1085 25 1-562 26 1 128 26 1-625 27 1.171 27 1687 28 .... 1-215 28 1-75 29 1-258 29 1-812 30 .... 1-302 30 1-875 31 1-352 31 1-937 32 1-388 32 2- 33 1-432 33 2-062 34 1-475 34 . .. 2-125 35 1519 35 2-187 36 1-562 36 2 25 Ft. Ft 4 2 083 4 3- 5 .- . 2-604 5 3-75 6 3-125 6 4-5 7 3 645 7 5-25 8 4-166 8 6- 9 4 687 9 6-75 10 5 208 10 7-5 11 5-729 11 8-25 12 .... 6-25 12 9- 52 ♦ L. 33. ^X33^. L. 4X4. In. D ec. Ft. In. Dec. Ft. 12 . 1-02 12 1333 13 . 1 105 13 1-444 14 . ... . 1-19 14 1 -555 15 . 1-276 15 1-666 16 1-361 16 1-777 17 1-446 17 1-888 18 1-531 18 2- 19 .- . 1-616 19 2-111 20 1-701 , 20 2-222 21 1-786 21 2-333 22 .... 1-871 22 2-444 23 .... 1 956 23 2-555 24 .... 2-041 24 2-666 25 2 126 25 . .. 2-777 26 2-211 26 2-888 27 2-296 27 3- 28 2-381 28 3-111 39 ... . 2-467 29 3-222 30 .. . 2-552 30 3 333 31 2-637 31 3-444 32 2-722 32 3-555 33 2-807 33 3-666 84 ... . 2-892 34 3-777 35 .... 2-977 35 3-888 36 .... 3-062 36 4- Ft. Ft. 4 4-083 4 5-333 5 5-104 5 6-666 6 .... 6-125 6 8- 7 7-145 7 9-333 8 8-166 8 10-666 9 9-187 9 12- 10 .... 10-208 10 13-333 11 11-229 11 . .. 14-666 12 12 25 12 16- 58 Doc. Ft. 1()87 , 1-828 1-968 2-109 2 25 2-39 2-531 2-671 2-813 2 953 3 093 3-234 3-375 3-515 3 656 3-796 3 937 4-078 4-218 4-359 4-5 4-64 4-781 4-927 5-062 6-75 8-437 10-125 11-812 13 5 15-187 16-875 18-562 20-25 In. 12 5X5. Dec. Ft. 13 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Ft. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 54 L. 5>^ X5K2. L. 6X6. In. Dec. Ft. In. 12 Dec. Ft. i2 2-52 3- 13 2 73 13 . .. 3-25 14 2-94 14 3-5 15 3151 15 3-75 16 3-361 16 4- 17 3-571 17 . .. 4 25 18 3 781 18 4-5 19 3-991 19 4-75 20 4-201 20 5- 21 4411 21 5-25 22 4-621 22 5-5 23 4-831 23 5-75 24 5041 24 6- 25 5-251 25 6-25 26 5-461 26 6-5 27 5-671 27 6-75 28 5-881 28 7- 29 6-092 29 7-25 30 6-302 30 7-5 31 6-512 31 7-75 32 6-722 32 8- 33 6-932 33 8-25 34 7-142 34 8-50 35 7-352 35 8-75 36 7-562 36 9- Ft. Ft. 4 10-083 4 12- 5 12-604 5 15- 6 15-125 6 18- 7 17-645 7 21- 8 20-166 8 24- 9- 22-687 9 .. . . 27- 10 25 208 10 30- 11 27-729 11 33- 12 30-25 12 36- 55 PART FOURTH. 3ivd:iscEXjiL.-£»-n^E:o"crs. POINTS IN EXPORTING LOGS AND LUMBER. The exporter who makes money is not the man who sends his stock haphazard to some market, not knowing the condition of that market. Even at the best, the risk is always great, for while any particular port may be reported good, there may be on the way to that very port enough to over- stock it and bring down the prices to a point below what it has cost you to land your stock. In exporting, like in many other things, it is the new shipper who breaks the market. He hears that in a cer- tain foreign port logs and lumber are scarce and that the price obtained at a late sale was very high indeed. He at once concludes to try a shipment, which he does ; and if he is 66 very new, he will put no limit on his stock, which gets into the aforesaid port along with consignments of a hundred other new shippers, and his stock is sold " at the best price you can get," which is often so low that the indvidual in question has no desire to try again. While it is always the better plan to sell at home, if a fair price is obtainable, yet, if you prefer to try a shipment, be careful to have as your com- mission dealers in the market to which you wish to consign your stock a reliable firm who will look after your as well as their own interests. Above all else, put a limit on your goods. State the very least you must get for them, and then, if they don't sell, you will at least have the satis- faction of knowing that you were not the means of a criterion for low prices. If each shipper would do this, would hold his stock rather than sacrifice it, in order to make a sale, the market would soon take stock at a paying figure. Again, beware of the man or firm who will, by false higli prices, induce you to consign your stock, as no matter how good your logs or lumber are, they are never up to that standard on 57 which the false report was based. Again, dou't be misled by reported high prices. Be careful to first know how much of them must come off for expenses, for although " free trade " waves on most of the flags over those harbors, yet, by the time you foot up the "account of sales," you will think there is as much protecticm to the square foot as can be found at home. I cannot but again insist on your send- ing nothing but good slock, for, at best, the accumulations of years has kept the for- eign markets over supplied with what they don't want, and when you send any more they are not going to pay you a premium for your labors. Hence, if you have stock to give away, make the donation nearer home and save freight. CHARCOAL. The pernicious custom of burning char- coal in the old way, wherein everything of value is burned out of the wood, should be done away with. We would set that man down as a very foolish one indeed who would burn a cord of wood, not for its heat, but for the ashes he might get from 58 it. And yet this is about what our old- fasbioned charcoal burners do. They burn valuable wood and receive back but very little more than the cost of production, not counting their wood as worth anything. By a new process, all the valuable products of the wood are saved to tbe burner. A large iron retort is filled with wood and heated from beneath, to 500 or 600 de- grees. The liquid parts are given off in a vapor which, in turn, is conducted through an iron worm in the ordinary way of distillation. By experiment, ten cords of hard Pine yielded 180 bushels of char- coal, 16 barrels of creosote oil, 11 barrels of acid,and a few gallons of naphtha and bitumen. The acid or wood vinegar alone paid all the expenses of the experi- ment. TIMBER LANDS. No doubt this little volume will fall into the hands of many owners of timber lands, and a word of advice may not fall amiss to them, especially should they have these lands for sale. As I have said in another part of the book, ** Tell what you have to offer," and 59 fell it in a way that your correspondent may know what you have. Do not say that you Lave a nice body of timber land located in this or that portion of Uncle Samuel's farm, but write to him something definite. Suppose, for instance, 1 have 500 acres of land located in a hardwocd country, and I wish to dispose of it, and have found a possible purchaser, who writes to know what is on the land. I want to convey a description so plain tbat he will at once form a picture of the tract and sit down and calculate its value to him. I would write something like the follow- ing : Mr. a Dear Sir : I have a tract of 500 acres of hardwood timber land, located in Hoop- pole Township, Posey County, Ind. The soil is black, the land rolling, and excel- lent for corn when cleared. It lies — miles from railroad, with good road to haul over. It contains Walnut, Poplar, Ash, and Oak. I counted the Walnut, and find there are 175 trees that measure over 80 in. in circumference — measured with tape line, head high. These trees will ave- rage four 12 foot logs. There are 300 Ash trees which measure 75 inches and over, and will run. four logs to the tree. The Oak is mostly white, and will run 50 trees to the acre. It will measure 100 inches and upward, is tall and very straight. The Poplar— 3,000 trees — is large, very little of it will run less than 120 inches in circumference, and will ave- rage five logs per tree. There are other va- rieties of timber, but of not much value. The rate of freight to New York is --- cents per hundred. You can get good lumbermen here at — per day, and two- horse teams at — per day. For this land I want $ — per acre, — cash, balance in — and — years, or as the timber is cut off. If this is satisfactory, will be pleased to show you the land. Respectfully yours, J. S. I have said " circumference " instead of diameter. The fault with the average man is to take the measurement of a tree with the tape line, then divide by three, thinking to thus find the diameter. It is a mistake, as there never was a tree the third of whose circumference would indicate the 61 diameter of the first log. The heavy bark must be taken into consideration. When Mr. A. reads this, or what you write, he can at once determine whether he wants to continue the negotiations. He has something definite before him. Never exaggerate what your land contains, with the hope of making a sale. It puts your correspondent to an expense of time and money, and nothing is accomplished. The above letter is a mild form of one the writer once received. It took two days and $25 to find out the difference between the description and the tract itself, which, by the way, proved to be a piece of swamp land with a few "scrub" Oaks. The writer of the letter we have not had the pleasure of meeting since, and in con- sequence he is still living, but too mean to return the $25. POPLAR. This valuable wood has had a hard struggle to establish itself, but now that its worth has been proved, as a fine inside trim and for inside doors, not to mention its value as a furniture wood and many other uses, it will be well to see that it takes 62 its poeition tip alongside of other lumber which, though no better, now sells much higher. If the manufacturers of Poplar will prepare it as they should, and take proper care of it, and send it in to market bright and nice, it will not be long until the prices will advance, as even now they are advancing. I saw a house, a few days ago, finished throughout with Poplar, or, as it is incorrectly called here, Whitewood. I had to examine very closely before I could tell it from a Cherry finish, so nearly did it resemble that wood when stained. The owner of the house has long used Poplar for doors. He claims that he pre- fers it to Pine, as when properly kiln dried it will hold to place fully as well as Pine, and unlike the dead, dull look of Pine, it has a bright, cheery ap- pearance. Poplar has a great future and the wise owner of this wood will see that it will bring its value, or he will leave it stand a few years longer, as the price can- not long remain where it is. 63 HOV/ TO RIFT-SAW FLOORING. "Why don't you treat on rift-sawing flooring ?' asked a Pine dealer just as I was ready to write "Ttie End.'' Not ■wishing to give some one else's theory, I went at once to a mill, and after much ex- perimenting, I hit upon a plan, and was happily surprised, when it had been practi- cally tested, to find that nearly every board in ilic log sawed showed a tine grain. 64 The plan is so simple and so easily fol- lowed that no one need say that it takes too long and is too much trouble to rift saw flooring ! It can be done as fast as the old way. Take, for example, a 22 inch log, slab enough to give a face to set on the head blocks solidly. If you wish to cut 3)^ in. flooring, you take off a slab, then cut two 33^ in. flitches, which brings you to within about two inches of the heart. As the grain is now a perfect quarter, you can saw out four one inch boards. The other half of the log can be sawed into two d^ inch flitches as before. These cants or flitches are next placed upon the carriage and ripped into flooring thickness. The four center boards being already rift grain, can be sawed into the required width. If you have gang saws, these cants are readily run through. There is no occasion for first squaring the log, as the flitches can be handled quite as readily as though squared. Larger or smaller logs can be sawed in the same pro- portion as my example. It will be found that more comb grain or rift lumber can be sawed from a log in this way than by any other, and in half the time. Try it. 65 A VALUABLE TALLY BOOK. One of the most complete tally books I have ever seen is the one published by 'A. A. Brown, editor of the Lumber Worker, 62 Longworth st., Cincinnati, Ohio. It contains everything, from a great multipli- cation table, by which you can count up the tally of a car load of lumber in a very few minutes, down through all the necessary things to keep as record. No yard dealer, wholesale operator or commission man can afford not to send Mr. Brown fifty cents for a copy. INDEX PAGE Saw the tree down 7 How to mark off logs 7 Cut the log straight across 8 Don't be stingy 8 Logs should be hewn 8 How to dress a log 9 Paint the ends 9 Logs should be ni£.rketed as soon as hewed ... 9 How to haul logs 10 Logs or lumber ? 12 Tell what you have to sell and what you want for it 13 How to write 13 Poplar Logs 15 Cherry logs 16 When to cut timber 16 Gard's Log Rule 18 Part Second 23 How to saAV a Walnut log 25 Saw full thickness 27 Saw even thickness 27 How to stick lumber 28 Use narrow strips 29 To dry lumber fast 29 How to ship lumber 31 Tell Avhat's in a car 32 Send but one grade 33 Send but one thickness 33 Don't sell what you cannot furnish 34 What railroad to patronize 35 Lighterage free 35 Weight of lumber 37 67 PART THIRD. PAGE Squares 41 Newels 43 Sizes of squares 43 New York squares 43 Balusters 43 Table legs, newels 44 Philadelphia sizes 44 Sizes fOx- English and German markets 45 Card's decimal square rule 46 table 48 PART FOURTH. Miscellaneous. Points in exporting logs and lumber 55 Charcoal 57 Timber lands 58 Poplar 61 How to rift-saw flooring 63 Tally book 65 WALNUT LOGS^^^^^^^^^^^ AND -HARMQOD LUMBER S. H. GARD'S SONS, 10 EAST UTH ST. NEW YORK. FOR BOOKS, Address, ANSON A. GARD, PRODUCE EXCHANGE BUILDING, Room 210. New York. THE NEW YORK Lumber Trade Journal IS PUBLISHED BY ^ LUMBERMEN ^ thoroughly posted, who know the Wants^Conditions of the Market, AND ITS COLUMNS CONTAIN the most accurate and reliable trade news of any Journal published in the Country. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS ■ 017 110 961 9*