TIMBER PRODUCTION.

Otago Witness, Issue 3806, 22 February 1927, Page 21

TIMBER PRODUCTION.

DOMINION’S POTENTIALITIES. WELLINGTON, February IS. Mr George M. Cornwall, publisher of The Timberman (Portland, Oregon, U.S.), is an international authority on the economies of the forest industry. He is at present in New Zealand at an interesting time in the evolution of the local forest and afforestation industries. Interviewed to-day, Mr Cornwall encouraged New Zealand's afforestation efforts. He stated that certain varieties of trees grew twice as fast in New Zealand as they did in America. These included Douglas fir, western red cedar, western yellow pine, Port Orford cedar (Lawson's cypress), and pinus ponderosa, and no doubt there were others. The tree-planting operations of the forest service with such trees were therefore of national importance. “You have the best soil and climatic conditions in the world for growing softwood trees,” said Mr Cornwall, “and if yon proceed with the planting of your 5,000,000 acres of idle lands you can also become the greatest timber exporting country in the world, copying and outdoing Sweden. Those of you who are carrying on this great work are building a greater industry than you know to-day. Remember that Great Britain’s first export was oak. Japan's, too, was timber, and I am told that New Zealand also started with kauri spares. But you must be careful as to what varieties you plant. You must plant the right varieties to produce timber.”

The interviewer remarked that New Zealand planted largely' pinus iusignis, also known as pinus radiata, or Montorcy pine, a native of Southern California. “It is not a timber tree with us,” said Mr Cornwall. “It is more put to such uses as windbreaks, but change of country climate, and soil may produce changed habits and qualities iu a tree. It may become in its now country a tree of a different structure chemically, therefore I cannot discuss it as it exists in New Zealand.”

In reply to other questions, Mr. Cornwall said that tree-planting was both sentiment and business. It wa s the best of business. It was a deferred crop, but in America they estimated that one acre of Douglas fir • timbered land yielding 50,000 board superficial feet* gave a yield equivalent to the crop value of wheat for a period of 50 years. Timber was a deferred crop, but what nature stored up she later released generously. Of first economic importance in the American timcer industries were standard production and standard grading. The United States, following the Swedish principle, aimed at a uniform product, within the range of the physical properties of the tree. The reduction of costs in the Canadian and United States mills was obtained very largely by the use of specialised machinery adapted to the particular service required. He was pleased to say that he had been advised by iMr Arthur Seed, secretary of the New Zealand Federated Sawmjllers’ Association, that its members were contemplating the subjects of a uniform costs system and of employing experts to travel the various mills and logging operations to acquaint members of the latest and most modern systems of production. “This plan, if carried out.” said Mr Cornwall, “will pay splendid dividends on the money and time, and the idea cannot be too highly commended. It may be (bat the association might send 6ne or two men to Canada and the United States to study the production of timber by mills of a similar capacity to those generally employed in New Zealand. Canada and the United States are not countries entirely of large mills, but they have thousands of mills that compare in size with those of New Zealand. ‘‘So the small mill is not necessarily uneconomic?”

“On the other hand, the bulk of the timber cut in Canada and the United States is cut in small mills. The small mill, if properly managed, will produce as great a value of lumber per man as the largest mill, and quantity in prcduction does not necessarily imply cheaper production. In dealing with the relative production and profits of small and large mills the law of diminishing ratios aptlv applies A small unit, if skilfully managed, to cut from 10,000 ft to 25,000 ft r. day will return a profit per thousand far in excess of the big one.” “Then mass production does not necessarily sweep ths field?’’ “The main thing is standard manufacture and grading, so that the customer can rely on buying a uniform productThis factor gave small mills a widbr marketing advantage. The small mills would not have as wide a range of products as the big mills would have. But grade for grade the small mill will be as cheap.’*