nut, there will be the usual difficulty of matching up desks and chairs in office furniture, and the other things which go together. Gum suffered for a time because the product of the factories was confined very largely to chamber suites, but this is no longer the case. You can buy almost any piece of furniture now made of gum, although there is much variance in the finishes. The tendency in office furniture in recent years has been towards lighter finishes in oak, and away from the dark finishes, and even from mahogany and its imitations.

AN AMERICAN manufacturer has just secured an order from a Valencia firm for about $2,500 worth of veneer machinery, consisting of a two-meter cutting lathe, shaping machine and sundry tools. The contract was secured in spite of European competition. In fact, European manufacturers were negotiating for the business some days before the American firm, whose representative was nevertheless able to convince the customer not only of the more substantial construction and greater efficiency of its equipment, but also named a lower price. This is the first instance of the sale of heavy American machinery in the Valencia district. In view of the peculiar conditions surrounding the veneer manufacturing industry here, it is likely to result in further business.

ACCORDING to the expert of the Birmingham Post, the most unfortunate of the Birmingham industries of 1913 was the manufacture of metallic bedsteads. The demand in the twelve months never approached the capacity of the factories, and there was much short time and unemployment of operatives. The products of this industry have declined in public favor in the last two years and wooden bedsteads are more fashionable. It is accordingly anticipated that the depression that characterizes the trade will not pass away soon. The rapid rise in favor of the wooden bedstead was accelerated by the rebate scheme of the Metallic Bedstead Manufacturers Federation, which was formed in 1912 to regulate production and control prices. Rumors have prevailed that the rebate scheme was to be abandoned, but no such action has as yet been taken. The home trade was dull throughout the year and export orders were fewer and for smaller quantities. China and South Africa showed some development, but elsewhere the amount of business was not so good. The Bedstead Association price list has remained unchanged, but the business of the year was very unsatisfactory.

THE defection is reported of one of the large manufacturers of metal beds of Birmingham, Eng., from the Federation of Bedstead Manufacturers. What effect this action will have on the organization remains to be disclosed. The officers of the Federation say it will have none. No statement is made of the causes which lead to the withdrawal of one of the constituent members from the Federation which has now been in operation for the past six months. The payment of the rebates provided under the plan has commenced, and some of the opposition to this feature has therefore been removed. The plan of organization among the British metal bed manufacturers, in the main, is like to the plan which was proposed by Parks & Loring for the entire furniture industry in this country. This plan seemingly does not come in conflict with the laws of England, although it is mighty certain that if the Parks & Loring pools had been in operation in the furniture industry of the United States there would not even have been "watchful waiting" by President Wilson. There would have been pros

ecution by the president or his predecessors. Admittedly the operation of the Federation has secured better prices to the English manufacturers for their goods, and it is certain they badly needed them.

THE struggle for recognition of supremacy by the three cities which now lay claim to be known as real furniture markets is by no means over, and the manufacturers of furniture who have found that it is almost a necessity that their goods be shown in one or all of these cities will be called upon to listen to many pleas and arguments from now on. The retailers will not suffer for lack of invitations to visit the market places, if present plans are carried out. The New York manufacturers have joined together under the name of the New York Wholesale Furniture Association to increase the number of visitors to that market. Mr. Spratt, who has always been much the most lavish advertiser of expositions, has subscribed $5,000 to the New York Wholesalers' Advertising fund, which is to be the largest yet provided. In Chicago the exhibitors effected an organization last winter to supplement the work of promotion, which has been done by the building owners chiefly for many years. so it will be seen that there is to be no relaxation of effort upon the part of the rivals of Grand Rapids. The movement of exhibitors has been unmistakably toward Grand Rapids in the past three or four seasons; but because hotel facilities were lacking much less has been done than might have been done to increase the number of buyers to visit this market. But the new Pantlind will begin to be available in a few months now, and it behooves the manufacturers who are interested in Grand Rapids as a furniture market to get together in some movement which will at least make it apparent that Grand Rapids is on the map. Advertising must needs be met with advertising.

RECENTLY a committee of the New York Chamber of Commerce, representing mercantile, manufacturing, shipping and financial interests, formulated the following statement with regard to the business situation: "What business men desire, and what industry needs, is a period of rest for the peaceful readjustment of all enterprises not inconsistent with accepted principles of law and ethics and for the advancement of individual endeavor, free from all sense of repression. This," says the New York Herald, in an editorial, "is the sagacious counsel of sagacious and patriotic men actively engaged in varied fields of endeavor." Then continues the Herald: "There is no use blinking the fact that business is shackled and depressed by meddling and muddling legislators, ignorant of the effect of their action and of their inaction. For if they realized the results of the Interstate Commerce Commission's throttling of the railways they would take action to relieve the most important of the country's industries. The country is tired of investigation and regulation and needs a rest. There has been an enormous reduction in revenues for the railroads, with the result that tens of thousands of employes have been dismissed in the last few months. All the natural conditions for prosperity exist, and a revival would set in if two things were done one to permit the railways to make a fair advance in the rates; the other is for Congress to drop its Industrial Commission and other projects that shackle the individual freedom and initiative that has made this country great. Let government officials and legislators take their hands from the throat of business. Let us have 'that period of rest'" In this way the Herald undoubtedly expresses the consensus of opinion of conservative business men.

A

TTENTION has been called in these pages to the opportunity which awaits the dealer in hardwood lumber, and particularly some dealer who handles choice cabinet woods, who will undertake the task of selling these choice woods in small quantities to the directors of manual training schools and the amateur cabinet-makers who are becoming so numerous all over the country. Outside of the manufacturing centers it is a difficult matter to buy even our native cabinet woods in small quantities—or in any quantity for that matter. The demand is limited in the retail country yards, except for the common structural woods. Some interior trim is generally supplied by the manufacturers who mill this portion of the average building. Even the contractors seldom have occasion to buy anything except the structural woods, which are carried in the local lumber yards. The finer woods are carried in the eity yards, and furnished for specific purposes, fully milled, on special orders. The lumbermen are so accustomed to doing things in a big way that they forget that there is a market for a few pieces every now and then. It is not true either that manual training schools are confined to the larger cities, where there are sizeable lumber yards carrying fair assortments of lumber. These schools are being established in the villages and hamlets, and while a wise director of this class of work in the University of Wisconsin has suggested that the students should make the things which are most likely to be serviceable in the communities in which they live-the every day things of the farm, etc.-the fact remains that many of these students will undoubtedly want to make furniture if they can get hold of the material from which furniture is usually made.

Just at this time the manufacturers of lumber are looking for new outlets for their product. The lumbermen are confronted with the fact that many substitutes have been introduced which are displacing lumber. Steel is being more and more used for structural purposes, and it is mighty seldom that the lumberman has a chance at a big bill of dimension. Twenty-five years ago millions of feet of two-inch stock went into a single grain elevator. Not so any more. Bridges are being built of cement and roofs are being covered with Rubberoid and special composition shingles. The shingle of pine or cedar is being replaced. This is not due to any scarcity of timber, but because the substitutes have been proven more suitable. This condition is recognized by the editor of The Timberman, published at Portland, Ore., and in a couple of editorials which have just been called to the attention of the writer, he urges the lumbermen to place some of their material in the department and furniture stores. Here is the very plausible and interesting argument which he makes:

"It is not an overdrawn statement to make that of all the commodities which enter very largely into the comfort and use of mankind, lumber is the most difficult to purchase in small quantities. For example, take the average householder in a city who owns his own home or even rents it, who is desirous of securing a few pieces

of lumber to build some window boxes, erect a shelf or make some slight repairs requiring only a very small amount of lumber, you will find often that the difficulties and cost in securing material will result from one cause or other in the abandonment of the plan. Just stop and ask the first six of your neighbors if they ever have purchased a foot of lumber since they moved into your neighborhood, and it is more than likely that their reply will be that they have never done so, but would be glad occasionally to get a few boards if the material could be delivered at the house provided a telephone message or a letter would bring the material to them. There are millions of householders throughout the United States who could and should be regular purchasers of lumber in small amounts. In the aggregate the volume would be quite large. Through the department, furniture and hardware stores in cities this particular trade should be supplied. The department store with its means of delivery brings the goods to your door with the least possible cost. It must be kept in mind that the modern department store in the city evolved from the general merchandise store in the country, where everything from an anchor to a sewing machine was invariably kept in stock, and occasionally a small supply of lumber. The material which the department store should carry in stock would be a small assortment of dressed lumber, say from two to ten inches wide and not to exceed eight feet in lengthsimply for small domestic uses. That the department and hardware stores have not carried a small stock of lumber is due entirely to the fact that the lumbermen have overlooked this channel of distribution."

This is only another expression of a need which outcrops constantly among the readers of THE FURNITURE MANUFACTURER AND ARTISAN, many of whom, scattered all over the country, are identified with the manual training and industrial education movement.

The Grand Rapids trade mark is under discussion again in Grand Rapids-not in the hands of the manufacturers of furniture who were responsible for the original campaign exploiting the little red triangle as the mark of superior quality in furniture-but promoted by the Grand Rapids Advertisers club, which holds a weekly lunch, at which pertinent subjects are discussed. Thus far the consideration has been almost altogether historical. Roy Barnhart, of the Nelson Matter Co., and Wm. Widdicomb, of the Widdicomb Furniture Co., who were members of the committee who had the original campaign in charge, have told some exceedingly interesting things about how the movement was started, how much money was spent upon it, but have not explained clearly why the campaign was abandoned. All this has been listened to with interest by the members of the Ad Club. More than the usual number of furniture men have also attended these gatherings. It is the practice within the club to assign the direction of the dissensions at the mid-day lunches for a period of a month to some one member of the club, the chairman thus chosen determining the topic to be considered. Carl Wernicke, who is the son of O. H. L. Wernicke, is the chairman for the month of June and is directing the discussion

with much skill. If memory serves, it was the plain speaking of the senior Wernicke, and his persistent preaching of the doctrine of advertising which had much to do with the original trade mark campaign. The later day discussion has thus far disclosed that there is a regret on the part of many of the Grand Rapids manufacturers that the campaign was ever abandoned, and a decided sentiment has been developed in favor of returning to it when the time becomes more propitious than it seems to be at this time.

Since this first experiment in coöperative advertising, for an entire localized interest, some of the Grand Rapids furniture manufacturers have inaugurated campaigns of their own; have established their own trade marks through the medium of extensive advertising, and may not therefore be ready to participate in a community campaign. The instrument has been created meantime for effective protection of misleading advertising or the misapplication of the results of an educational campaign in behalf of Grand Rapids goods, for it was one of the objections which was raised against the Grand Rapids trade mark that it brought consumers to Grand Rapids in search of the exploited goods only to give some of the local retailers an opportunity to make the sale to the detriment of the dealers in the cities from which the consumers were drawn. Laws against fraudulent advertising have been enacted, and these are being enforced with assistance of the Vigilance Committee of the Associated Advertising Clubs so that these laws are more than ethical beacon lights.

Charles P. Limbert is a manufacturer of furniture. For many years he was a salesman and traversed the United States with a bunch of photographs like other salesmen. He had opportunity for observation and

"They told me that business was dull on the Coast and that times were hard, all of which may be true from the Western point of view, because it is true that all success and all returns from endeavor are only comparative. In other words, business may not be as brisk as it was a year or two ago. This is natural, however, and inherent to every community which ever enjoys a rapid growth. Let me say, however, that if the present commercial speed and business aggressiveness shown out there is their idea of a greeting to hard times, prosperity will soon be heading back to the coast in a drawing-room on the Santa Fe De Luxe. I found men who, having recognized the indisputable fact that the furniture trade is an unworked gold mine, and that the plumbers, architects, tailors, automobile manufacturers and hotel men have been getting the yellow-backs and leaving the small change for chairs and rockers and have energetically started to change that order of things. There is dynamic power and efficiency in those western commercial experts. There is a broad vision and sense of proportion unwarped by the ancestral ideas which obtain in older communities."

What is true of the extreme West is true of the South, and of the Middle West, and yet each recurring market time the spectacle is witnessed of special attention being given to the trade which supposedly comes from the big

knew the country well. Since he has become a manufacturer he has had less opportunity for observation. But he has been a visitor to the Pacific coast during the past two months and has brought back some impressions which are worth repeating here. He recites that his last trip west was in 1895 when Los Angeles was a city of 50,000. "Now," he says, "it is a replica of New York with a dash of Paris and a touch of Chicago. There are other towns in the West whose growth is equally phenomenal. Oakland, Seattle, Portland, Spokane, Great Falls are all on the map in flaming headlines, and from a furniture point of view are exceptionally noteworthy. There is a furniture store out there which does a business of two and a half millions a year. There are show-windows and floor exhibits which appear to have been surgically removed from Aladdin's palace, complete in their equipment with all that makes for an artistic and perfect home. No man can be content with cheap and poor furniture when he has such examples before him day by day. These dealers do not bury their treasures in the mushroom cellar. They are for education of the masses. They believe in and are proud of the labels of manufacturers who stand behind their wares with an iron-clad guarantee of perfect service. They believe in local advertising, and their hundred-dollar bills come back to them, each with a flock of twenties in its wake.

stores in the East. The truth of the matter is that it is the growth of demand for furniture of quality in the West which has had most to do with revolutionizing the output of the factories of the North. It is the orders of the merchants of the Middle West, the West and the South-the agricultural districts of this great country of ours-which has given whatever of vitality to trade we have been able to detect in recent years. It is just this condition, coupled with the reports which are being received of the promising crop outlook, which should put courage into many a furniture manufacturer. With wheat-both spring and winter-in the North, with cotton in the South, and with fruit in the West-all promising as they never have promised before at this time of year, there still ought to be something doing this fall.

Mr.

J. J. Phoenix, president of the Bradley Knitting Company, pays a rather unusual tribute to the trade press of the country in a recent number of Printer's Ink. Phoenix was originally in the retail business, but drifting into the manufacture of knit wear, found himself confronted with a problem new to him. In telling of this experience, he said, among other things: "As retailers, we subscribed for the leading trade journals and used them and the service of the men connected with them in every possible way. On my twice-a-year New York buying journeys, I always went to the office of a big dry goods trade paper and advised with its men regarding our store and the best way to conduct it. In this way I got to know them intimately and went right to them when we undertook the knitting business.

"And, by the way, let me say that I consider the trade paper one of the principal factors in successful retailing. The merchant who reads and studies a good trade paper and takes advantage of its assistance, like we did and still do, has everything in his favor. He can thus find

***

out from an authentic source the latest and best and most economical methods by which to conduct his store. He learns what others are doing. He can find out everything about the merchandise he sells. To try to run a retail store without the trade journals is to close yourself off from almost all that is new, and to ignore the experience of others. *** It was the prac tical advice of these trade papers which I immediately sought when we undertook to operate the Bradley Knitting Company. *** The advice of the trade paper men to use their publications was quickly acted upon. We know just how carefully we studied the advertisements in the trade journals and how we were influenced to buy goods for our retail store because of such advertising. *** The trade paper and the salesmen were, and are now, our only means of approach to the retailer. From the reports of our salesmen and from the inquiries

"This," says the publication in which the talk of Mr. Phoenix first appeared, "is a well deserved compliment to the trade press, but in our opinion, it is equally a compliment to the sagacity of Mr. Phoenix. In almost any field there are trade papers whose fund of information about business conditions and methods would save manufacturers from many costly experiments, yet comparatively few of the latter have the foresight to take proper advantage of it. At the very least, a good trade paper man knows what has been tried in his field, what Succeeded and what failed; and there are half a dozen papers which can go far towards explaining why certain thing failed, and can analyze intelligently the probabilities of success."

A FEW GLUE QUESTIONS

While I was much interested in Alexander T. Deinzer's discussion on veneering, in your paper, I wish to ask a few questions that I would like to see answered in your June number:

First. In weighing glue and water, what proportion of each do you advise for the best veneering?

Second. In a room of about 80 degrees, how long do you advise the workmen to leave the core-stock stand after the glue is applied before the veneer is put on?

Third. How many hours do you advise a manufacturer to leave his mounted veneer in the press for the best results?

Fourth. Where a manufacturer only has O. G. shapes 1" to 3" wide, but 12 feet long and some 12" boards to veneer of the same length, how would you advise a person to make a heater for his cauls where there is not enough work for him to afford an expensive heater?

Fifth What is the best way to treat the O. G. and flat cauls so that the glue will not stick to them? Aun Arbor, Mich. V. HOLLENBAUGH.

Answer by Alex. T. Deinzer. It is impossible to answer your first question. No one can suggest propor tions of water and glue unless a determination is made of the water taking properties of the glue. You can buy from 9 ents up to 1312 cents. Hence we have torty different kinds and grades of glue on the market Take this question up with the manufacturer from whom you are buying your glue, or you may mail 9716 a few outices for test. Auce your second question, will say that this nime depends on the glue. No fixed rule can be given. sets quicker than others As I stated in my should be laid as soon as the gluc

overdone. If you are doing much of this work I would suggest that you make a heater, but if, as you say, you do this only now and then, I would consider it unneces sary to install an expensive heater. A very good heater can be made by running several pipes, say 12 feet long. in a horizontal position, making exhaust steam connection, but this may take up too much room in your factory. I have found that a very economical way to glue reneered stock, so that the glue does not stick, is to take common old newspapers and place a few layers between the caul and face veneer. Many of the newspaper offices are glad to get rid of the old papers and will give them away for the hauling. This has been the case in our city. Even though you have to pay for them, they are very inexpensive.

There are a number of preparations on the market commonly sold by veneer-room supply houses which are very satisfactory. One rubs the caul with the preparation and this prevents the glue from sticking.

VEGETABLE GLUES

Will you kindly give me all the information 3 in regard to the workings of vegetable glue, as the reliability of it! If it can be used on walnut and safe eye maple veneer. If it is worked in any other was that the animal glue, and if it has to stand in pressure er and if it has to be dried longer than the animal betre it is wed and sanded. As we understand, tier si number of vegetable glues on the market. W: in your opinion, is giving the best sati-faction! Jamestown, N. Y. THE A. C. NORQUET C A. C. Norq ist. PAnswer by A. B. Maine.-I am now at work scientine article for our publication on the r working of vegetable glne, and so fast as is ps getting the information from plants that are s gine. Briefly. I find that there are different qu vegetable, just as there are differ ut qui gac, but where you get different qualities f

on. The same manufacturer the vegetable geti rer nemak maintains the same uniform ki is modnet. That gives the user of vegetal

ing of confidence that so long as he purchases his supply from the same manufacturer he is assured of the same standard of glue. The vegetable glue is worked differently from animal glues, but when instructions are followed, it is usually found to be more satisfactory. It is not fool-proof and must be used with as much of a degree of intelligence as any glue. Maple and walnut veneers usually give the most trouble in the use of the more common glues, and they do the same in the use of vegetable glue. If you have operations requiring the use of considerable glue, and will coöperate with any of the manufacturers of vegetable glue, I believe that you may save money by making the necessary change and that you will be more than satisfied with the final results. The reliable manufacturer will not take you as a customer unless he can benefit you. In the present state of the vegetable glue situation, there is too much at stake for any of the manufacturers to play a bunco game. The proper thing for any glue user to do is to investigate the claims of these manufacturers and take the best proposition he can find with the guarantee as to final results. Answer by Alex. T. Deinzer.-There is no doubt but that vegetable glues are coming to the front, and a number of furniture manufacturers are very well satisfied with results obtained by their application. I have never had experience in laying walnut and bird's-eye maple veneers with vegetable glue, hence cannot answer this question. If you are using end woods, I would suggest the use of good hide stock veneer glue, but for ordinary veneering vegetable glue will give good results.

WHERE CAN TRADES BE LEARNED?

Where is interior decoration, cabinet-making work, upholstery and finishing taught? Also, where can furniture designing be studied?

Baltimore, Md.

EDITOR "ANSWERS," BALTIMORE SUN. Answer by the Editor.-Decoration is very successfully taught by Frank Alvah Parsons, who is the president of the New York School of Fine and Applied Arts, in New York. He has lectured before classes of decorators, and particularly managers of drapery and decorating departments in stores, with great success. The fundamentals of cabinet-making are taught in many of the manual training schools and the cabinet-makers' trade may be fairly well learned in schools like the Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades, at Williamson, Delaware county, Pa. There are excellent courses also in Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, and Columbia University, New York. The basis of furniture designing is architecture, and no one should attempt to become a furniture designer without taking a course in architecture at either of the institutions named or the Boston School of Technology, or Armour Institute, in Chicago, or some like institution. Pratt Institute, in Brooklyn, rather specializes in the industrial arts, and taking your inquiry as a whole, it would seem to us that Pratt is the first place you should investigate.

them you might be in position to furnish the information. The lock on the bed post looks as though there might have been a double hook for wood rail turned upside down, while the rail has a foot-shaped affair at the end with two bolt heads inserted to fit into the lock. Chattanooga, Tenn. E. M. GRAVES.

Answer by the Editor.-Such a rail and lock was made by the Grand Rapids Iron & Brass Bed Co., which went out of business more than five years ago. The lock was patented, and we have not been able to ascertain that the patents were acquired by any other company. We are informed that the Forest City Bedstead Co., of Cleveland, Ohio, make a rail end much like that shown in your sketch. There may be others and we are therefore giving your communication publicity.

Answer by the Editor.-There are a number of extension table locks and the litigation in that connection has been more or less extensive. We do not recall having published anything on the case between the Hastings Table Co. and the J. K. Rishel Furniture Co., and in any event would not feel warranted in advising you on the basis of a layman's knowledge of table lock patents. At one time the extension table manufacturers had an association which was built around the so-called Tyden table lock. Mr. Tyden, the inventor of the lock in question, is also interested in the Hastings Table Co. It is possible that you can get some information from M. Wulpi, Monadnock Blk., Chicago, Ill., who is secretary of the table manufacturers association. We believe, however, that though entailing considerable expense, you will be wise to consult a reputable concern of patent attorneys who would be able to advise you fully regarding the status of your lock and probably obtain for you also any information necessary regarding the litigation on similar patents.

A FORMULA FOR COMPO

To the Editor: Your May number at hand and I would not part with it for a whole year's subscription price, as the different items on veneering and the handling of glue are very interesting. I see that A. Hohenstein asks for a formula for making compo. I suppose that he has reference to a composition that is suitable for use in hand mounting. If such is the case he will find that the following is suitable for this work: Take 6 pounds good white glue, add 5 pints water and allow it to soak several hours. Then dissolve with heat, using care not to burn it. In a separate vessel put 5 pounds good grade resin and 2 pints boiled linseed oil. Dissolve with heat. After glue and resin are both dissolved, and while still warm, pour resin into the glue, stirring briskly at the same time. After they are thoroughly mixed pour the mixture slowly into a trough or box in which a bed of bolted gilder's whiting has been prepared of sufficient quantity to accommodate the mass. About 50 pounds are required for the batch. After pouring the mixture into the whiting, stir with a strong wooden paddle until it is thick; then take a quantity in the hands and knead it on the mounting bench the same as a baker kneads bread. Work whiting into it until it is good and tough in the hand. Form into round flat loaves and bury under the whiting until it is to be used. As the compo has to be steamed in order to be softened,