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of the W. A. Woodard Lumber Company, recently sold to Weyerhaeuser Timber Co. Later McCall spent several years with Magnolia Lumber Sales at Ashland, Oregon. For the past year, he had been associated with Santa Fe Lumber. Inc.. in San Francisco.

lllusfrofed Booklet Shows Deqlers Good R.eroil Advertising Points

A new illustrated booklet, designed specifically to help retail lumber dealers develop more effective advertising prog'rams by relying on several fundamental principles of sound advertising, has been compiled and edited for distribution to lumber dealers throughout the country. "Guideposts to Retail Advertising," a 26-page booklet, shows how gradual development of a store "personality" through advertising can be the key to increased sales volume. Individual ad elements such as logotypes, price and service appeals and layouts are dealt with in terms of their effectivenes in creating a dealer image.

Manufacturers' advertising is showr.r to be of special value to the retail dealer. Illustrated sections of the booklet show several instances where local advertising can be effectively coordinated with product campaigns of national scope. Furnished at no charge to lumber dealers, the booklet can be obtained through Armstrong wholesale distributors or by writing to the Bureau of Lumber Dealer Merchandising, Armstrong Cork Company, Lancaster, Pa.

Housing leods April Building

New construction activity rose seasonably in April to $3.7 billion, according to preliminary estimates pr-epared jointly by the U.S. Departments of Commerce and Labor. The total dollar volume for the first four months of 1958, at $13.4 billion, was up slightly from the comparable 1957 period, but physical volume of work put in place probably did not increase.

The latest estimates reflect a 5/, rise in public construction from the first four months of 1957 due primarily to increased spending for .public housing (mostly Capehart projects for the Armed Services) and highways. Private construction outlays thus far in 1958 totaled the same as a year ago-$9.6 billion. Expenditures for residential building remained unchanged, and accountecl for nearly half the private total in both 1957 and 1958.

Cqlifornio Forest Products Lob Experiments wirh Modrone

Richmond.-In Pacific madrone, California forests hold a promising close-to-home supply of quality harclwood. Research in progress at the University of California's Forest Products Laboratory here is aimed at providing more information about the wood from this reddish-barked, shinyleafed tree: How strong is it? What are its best uses? Hou' can technical problems in its production be solved?

A series of strength tests, cornpleted reeently by Arno P. Schniewind of the Laboratorv staff. showed that Pacific madrone wood in the green coirdition is slightly stronger than soft maple. The researcher is continuing his tests witl-r air-dried samples of the wood. E,lser,vhere in tl-re Laboratory, timber physicists are experimerrting rvith methods for drying madrone lrrn.rber. Warpage is one of the major problems that preserrtly discourages the utilization of madrone.

With approxinrately one billion board feet of standing timber in the state. Pacific madrone ranks third in volurne (after tanoak and California black oak) among California's hardwood species. Tl-re principal occurrence in California is with Douglas fir and redwoocl irr the northern coastal countles.

"Because of its pleasing figure and fine texture, the utilization of Pacific madrone as a face veneer for furniture is a definite possibility," Schniewind observed.

Hardwood floors might be another use for madrone, he said. Madrone flooring installed in a San Francisco office building in 1905 is reportecl still in good condition today.

The Tehanra Countl. Pianning Comnrission maf invoke restrictions on constructlon of residential buildings in areas subject to flooding, following recent high waters on the Sacram.ento which this Spring twice flooded areas along the river and which, in most instances, already bear warning signs that area is subject to flood.