Mount Whitney Lumber Co., Ine.

MANUFACTUR,ERS

OF PONDER,OSA PINE . SUGAR, PINE. WHITE FIR,

INCENSE CEDAR, lVhofesole Lumber Dislribution Yard

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3O3O E. Woshinglon Blvd. Los Angeles 23, Colif. Phone ANgelus 8-Ol7l

Lee ftloffett, TW&J's Grqdes Mon, Tells Vqlley Hoo-Hoo Some Prime Fqcts qt Retoil Industry llleetings

Ii

San Joaquin Valley Hoo-Hoo Club 31 held its second educational meeting for the benefit of the retail lumber industry in the San Joaquin Valley, February 24, in Yisalia, and a similar meeting, February 25, in Fresno. The featured speaker of the evening was Lee Moffett, supervisor of grades and manufacture, for Tarter, Webster and Johnson, Inc.

Mr. Moffett addressed the groups regarding the characteristics of Western Pine lumber and also discussed some of the recent developments that research has contributed to the lumber industry. Mr. Moffett said. "Some sawmills today get the largesi part of their timber requirements from either fire or beetle-killed timber. If trees damaged by fire or insects are cut into lumber soon after attack, the Ioss in quantity and quality is very light through the manufacturing processes, but the time element is very important in the salvage operation. We have learned through research that decay does not occur in the first year. What we used to consider premature decay has turned out to be only blue stain caused by a fungus that lives on the water in the wood cells, softening up the cells for the entrance of real decay fungus, which is usually brown in color. Brown stain can come along in the second year of exposure and it is the one which does the damage. The only damage blue stain can do is to build up sales resistance if the color is considered obiectionable. llowever,

Mr. Moffett pointed out that the average return to the sawmills for Ponderosa Pine in 1953 was $92.00. In 1957 it was $85.00. West Coast Douglas Fir in 1953 was $73.00; in 1957, $58.00. Steel, on the other hand, averaged $4.38 per hundred pounds in 1953 and $6.77 in 1957. Common brick sold for $27.85 in 1953 and brought $30.87 in 1957. Mr. Moffett also noted that wages have advanced, along with practically everything else the lumber manufacturer requires, so he now finds himself in the position of paying out more to make lumber but receiving less for it.

IIe can not change the construction or quality of the tree, he finds he can not do much about inflated manufacturing costs, so his hope lies in research and promotion; research to improve existing products and to develop new ones, and promotion to inform the public that new and better wood products are available. Mr. Moffett then demonstrated the makeup of a typical log and the types of cuts that are made to obtain the various grades of lumber.

At the beginning of the meeting, every person in attendance was given an opportunity to judge for themselves the grade of 16 different boards that were displayed at the meeting. Following IVIr. Moffett's talk, a contest was held wherein each individual had an opportunity to change his

He'll give you dependoble ond or(urolc informotion ond quololions on P1YWOOD.

1UTBER. IOGS. UE]IEERS

Quolity produclr from lhe world's besl Mills Dependoble service from quolotion fo finol delivery Over 50 yeors eiperience in lhe export-impod field Prime imporlere serving fhe wholesqle lumber trode exclusively