Wood Used in Manufacture in California in 1948

By Richard H. May, Foresrer Division oI Forest Economics Californio Forest and Range Experiment Station*

California apparently norv leads the Nation in the manufacture of fabricated wood products. In 1948, this State ttsed I,227 million board feet of lumber, veneer, and bolts. In second and third places were Ner,v York with 869 million board feet and Washington with 735 million board feet. Other leading states, each of rvhich used over 500 million board feet, rvere (4) Illinois, (5) Michigan, (6) Oregon, (7) Ohio, (8) Pennsylvania, (9) North Carolina, and (10) Wisconsin. These ten accounted for 52 per cent of all rvood used in the United States in manufacture in 1948.

These facts and other useful and interesting information are found in "\,Vood Used in Manufacture, 1948" published in May, 1951 by the Forest Service of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, as the result of an extensive survey made in 1949. The basic data in the accompanying tables are taken from this publication and condensed for the use of persons interestecl in California statistics,

Major nation-rvi<le uses of n'ood in manufacture are for containers (excluding cooperage), 34 per cent; milln'ork, 16 per cent; and furniture, 16 per cent. California led all states in the use of wood for .containers, was second to Washington in millwork, and fourth, aftcr three Eastern states. in the use of wood for furniture.

Table 1 presents the volume of lumber used in manufacture by species. arranged in descending order of use in California. Also shown for 'comparison is the total amotlnt of each listed species used in the United States. It u'ill be noted that the six major species used in California are softwood (coniferous) species native to the State. Except for Douglas-fir, most of the volume is prr-rbably logged and sawed u'ithin the State. Ponderosa pine is by far the leading species, comprising 50 per cent of all lumber used in manufacture in California. The hardwoods are largely from the East, with very littlc of the hardrvood volume being cut rvithin the State.

California used 9 per cent of all the lumber used in manufacture in the United States in 1948, including 94 per cent of tlre incense .cedar and 73 per cent of the rvhite fir. Other species high in per cent of total U. S. use rvere : sugar pine, 47 per cent; rechvood, 41 per cent; alder, 4O pcr cent.

Table 2 presents the volume of lumber used in manufacture by product. California followed the national pattern in the order of its three most important products on a volume basis, these being containers, milhvork, and furn iture.

California manufacturers nsed 94 per cent of the lumber going into pencils and penholders in the United States. California rnas also a major user of rvood for tanks (29 percent), matches (27 per cer-rt), and venetian blinds (20 per cent).

Table 3 shows volume of veneer (including plywood) used in manufacture in California by principal species and by major products. Douglas-fir was the primary veneer species, with Ponderosa pine second. Two-thirds of the Ponderosa pine veneer used in manufacture in the United States rvas consumed in California.

Containers led all products in the consumption of veneer in California, with fixtures, millwork, and furniture next in order.

California used 10 per cent of all veneer used in manufacture in the United States in 1948, including 67 per cent of that used in electrical equipment. Other products high in per cent of total United States use of veneer lvere fixtures, 27 per cent; and millrvork, 18 per cent.

The amount of wood used in the form of bolts by California manufacturers was relatively insignificant. It anrounted to only 471,Offi board feet lumber equivalent, or l/10 ol I per cent of the U. S. total of 410,959,000 board feet for bolts.

Copies of the complete report can be obtained from:

(1) Director, California Forest and Range Experiment Station, P. O. Box 245, Berkeley 1, California, or

(2) Chief, U. S. Forest Service, \\rashington, D. C.

Table

l.-Lumber Used in Manufacture-I948 by Major Species for California

l'onderosa

*Includes true mahogauy from