Seconds shall be not less than 6 inches wide. At 8 inches may have a little sap or one standard knot; at 10 inches, two knots. Sap on the face side shall be measured out. Defects may increase with the width in proportion.

The combined grades of firsts and seconds shall not embrace a larger proportion than 75 per cent of seconds.

Common shall include all lumber not up to the standard of seconds, but available a full three-fourths of its size for use without waste, free of hearts.

Culls shall include any width not good enough for common, in which not less than one-half the piece is fit for use without waste.

Flooring must have one face and two edges clear, and may be included in the combined grade. Newels and balusters must be free from all defects. (See instructions.)

CHERRY.

Cherry counter tops must be strictly clear.

Cherry shall be inspected in a combined grade of firsts and seconds, common and cull.

The combined grade of firsts and seconds shall include lumber not less than 6 inches in width. At 8 inches may have a little sap or one standard knot; at 10 inches, more sap or two knots. Sap on the face side shall be measured out. Defects may increase with the width in proportion. (Note. -Gum spots are considered a serious defect, and where the damage exceeds one-sixth of the dimension of the piece, shall reduce to the grade of common. Where the waste exceeds onethird the size of the piece, it shall be reduced to cull.)

Common includes all lumber not up to the standard of the combined grade of firsts and seconds, but available a full three-fourths of its size for use without waste, free from hearts.

Culls include all lumber not up to the standard of common, in which not less than one-half the piece is fit for use without waste. Flooring must have one face and two edges clear.

Newels and Balusters must be free from all defects. (See instructions.)

CHESTNUT.

Chestnut shall be inspected in firsts and seconds, and cull.

Firsts and seconds must not be less than 6 inches wide, and clear up to 8 inches, but at 8 inches may have an inch of sap or two standard knots. Sap on the face side shall be measured out. Defects may increase with the width in proportion. Worm holes are absolutely excluded from this grade.

Culls include all lumber not up to the standard of seconds, but available not less than one-half to work without waste.

GUM.

Gum shall be inspected in a combined grade of firsts and seconds, common and cull.

Firsts and seconds shall include all lumber not less than 8 inches wide. At 8 inches one standard knot may be allowed; at 10 inches, two knots, or a narrow sap not exceeding two inches. Defects may increase with the width in proportion. Common includes all lumber not up to the standard of the combined grade, but available a full three-quarters of its size without waste, free from hearts. Clear sap pieces may be included in this grade.

Culls include all lumber not up to the standard of common, in which not less than one-half the piece is available for use without waste.

HARD AND SOFT MAPLE.

Maple shall be inspected in a combined grade of first and seconds. common and cull.

Firsts and seconds include all widths 8 inches and upward, and to 10 inches must be free from all defects. At 10 inches one standard knot, and at 12 inches two knots may be allowed. Stains are a serious defect, lowering one grade or more. (Natural color is not a defect.)

Common includes sound lumber 6 inches and upward in width, and may have defects not injuring the piece for ordinary uses without waste. A 6-inch piece may have one standard knot, at 8 inches two knots. Defects may increase with the width in proportion, but all lumber must be sound.

Cull shall include all heart-shake, badly-sawed or otherwise defective lumber, unfitting the piece for common, but in which onehalf the piece is available for use without waste.

Clear flooring must have one face and two edges clear.

Common flooring shall be of the same size and general character as clear, but may have one or two small sound knots of not more than three-fourths inch in diameter, or a small wane on one edge, which. will not injure it for working its full size without waste.

BASSWOOD AND COTTONWOOD.

Basswood and cottonwood shall be inspected in a combined grade of firsts and seconds, common and cull.

Firsts and seconds shall be 8 inches wide and clear up to 10 inches. At 10 inches one standard knot may be allowed; at 12 inches, two knots. Defects may increase with the size of the piece in proportion. Bright sap shall not be considered a defect.

Common shall include any width not less than 6 inches, and at 6 inches one standard knot may be allowed; at 8 inches, two knots. Defects may increase with the width in proportion, but all lumber must be sound. Slightly discolored sap may be allowed in this grade.

Culls include all widths and sizes having more defects than described in common, whether in the number or the character of the knots, black stain, badly checked or other defects, but in which at least one-half the piece can be used without waste. (See instructions.)

BIRCH.

Birch shall be inspected in a combined grade of firsts and seconds, common and cull.

The combined grade of firsts and seconds includes all lumber not less than 7 inches in width free from all defects, except that at 8 inches one standard knot may be allowed; at 10 inches, two knots. Defects may increase with the width in proportion. Bright sap in birch is not to be considered a defect.

Common includes sound lumber 6 inches and upward in width, and may have defects not injuring the piece for ordinary uses without waste. This grade will admit of two to four standard knots, according to width, but no shake.

Culls include all lumber not up to the standard of common, in which not less than one-half the piece is available for use without waste.

HICKORY ELM

Shall be classed firsts and seconds combined, common and cull. Firsts and seconds must not be less than 6 inches wide. At 8 inches may have one standard knot; at 10 inches two knots or bright sap, but no other imperfections.

Defects may increase with size of piece in proportion.

Common includes all sound lumber 6 inches and upward in width not good enough for the preceding grade, and may have defects not injuring the piece for ordinary use without waste.

Culls include defective lumber in which not less than one-half the piece is available for use without waste.

SOFT ELM, SYCAMORE AND BEECH.

These woods shall be inspected in grades of common and better, and culls.

Common and better includes all sound lumber free from shake and heart. Standard knots from one to five in number (according to the size of the piece) do not condemn in this grade.

Culls include all lumber not good enough for the preceding grades, but in which one-half the piece will work without waste.

SOUTHERN OR YELLOW PINE

Shall be inspected as clear, second clear, common and cull. Clear must be 10 inches or more in width, and be free from all defects.

Second clear must be 8 inches or more in width. Narrow bright sap on the face side shall not be called a defect if the face is otherwise clear. This grade may allow of one or two small sound knots not over three-fourths inch in diameter showing through, if free from other defects. The face being clear, one narrow wane, measured inside the bark, or one inch of blue sap may be allowed.

The combined grade of first and second clear must not embrace a larger proportion than 50 per cent of the seconds.

Common shall include all lumber poorer than that described as seconds, but free from shake, large, unsound knots, rot, or lumber of less than standard thickness.

Culls include all large unsound knots or shake, and all unsound lumber which will work one-half without waste.

Clear flooring must have one face and two edges clear. Bright sap is allowable, but discolored or blue sap is excluded.

Common nooring shall be of the same size and general character as clear, but may have two or three small sound knots of not more than three-fourths inch in diameter or a small wane on one edge which will not injure it for working its full size without waste.

Step plank, first and second clear, must not be less than 12 inches wide and 12 and 2 inches thick, free from all defects on one side, except two inches of bright sap. (See instructions.)

CYPRESS.

Boards and plank shall be in lengths of 12, 14 or 16 feet, 1, 14, 11⁄2, 2, 22, 3, 32 or 4 inches thick, and be classed as clear, second clear, common and cull.

Clear shall be 10 inches and over wide, and free from all defects. Second clear shall be 8 inches and over and clear up to 10 inches. At 10 inches and over may have two standard knots and three inches of bright sap. Free of other defects, may be one-half bright sap. Clear and second clear may be combined as one grade and must be free of shakes or pecks.

Common will contain all sound lumber under second clear, but must work up full size without waste and be free from hearts.

Cull shall comprise all unsound lumber that is available one-half without waste.

Shakes and pecks are always a damage in cypress and should be closely scrutinized.

Flooring strips must have one face and two edges free from all defects, must be 12, 14 or 16 feet long, 1 inch thick by 6 inches wide, unless otherwise ordered.

Common, see Yellow Pine.

Cull all unsound pieces available one-half without waste.

RED CEDAR.

Boards must be sound and sawed to thickness ordered.

Posts may be quartered or squared (hewed or sawed), and 7 or 8 feet long. Quartered posts must have two faces, sawed 4 inches wide at top or small end, and be straight and sound. Square posts and dimension lumber must be sawed to sizes ordered.

NOTE.-Reference should be made to instructions under head of "To Inspectors and Measurers," and general rules at beginning, for all kinds; and in case of maple, ash, etc., hard or soft, black or white, must be kept separate. In judging of defects, due regard should be had of the uses to which the particular kind of lumber is applied. As in wagon poles, when a perfect stick otherwise may be unfit for use because brash, or cross-grained, therefore a cull.

ST. LOUIS INSPECTION.

Adopted at a Meeting of the Trade held December 19, 1883; to take effect on and after January 15, 1884.

INSTRUCTIONS TO INSPECTORS AND MEASURERS.

It is understood that when the term strips is used, the said strips shall be six inches in width unless otherwise specified. All tapering pieces of lumber to be measured one-third (13) the distance from the narrow end, when 12 inches and over in width at the center, and when less than 12 inches wide in center to be measured at the narrow end. All lumber to be measured in even lengths (except culls), from 12 to 30 feet inclusive in length. Above that length timber shall be counted for what it will meas

ure.

Culls commence 10 feet in length, and then measure the same as other qualities. Manufacture should be taken into consideration in all qualities, and if badly manufactured should reduce the grade. Pieces of lumber that have auger holes near the end, should be measured for length between the holes, if 12 feet and over, and what is so measured to be called in its proper quality; if any auger holes in the center, as well as at the ends, should go into cull to be measured full.

Inspectors and measurers are instructed that the rule herein given as to width and thickness, is the standard width and thickness for merchantable lumber of each grade. But when some slight deviation, either in width or thickness, should occur by accidental manufacture, so long as it will not hinder the lumber from being used for the purpose for which it is in

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ST. LOUIS INSPECTION.

tended, such lumber shall not be reduced in grade on account of such deviation, it being the purpose of the accompanying rules of inspection to grade lumber so that the grades sold on the lumber market and out of yards shall be the same. In no case shall mill culls be considered a quality for the purpose of increasing the inspection fees.

RULES FOR THE INSPECTION OF HARDWOOD LUMBER.

In hardwood inspection, the inspector is instructed to use his best judgment, based upon the general rules laid down for his guidance. He must inspect all boards and plank on the poorest side, excepting in flooring. The standard knot is to be considered as not exceeding 14 inches in diameter, and of a sound character. Splits are always a greater or less damage to hardwood lumber, and will reduce a piece to one grade lower if the split is over 12 inches in length in boards and plank, or six inches in strips, but split must be straight and in one end only to be allowed. All hardwood lumber should be sawed 1-16 inch plump. All lumber must be sawed square edged, unless otherwise ordered, and boards and plank having bark or wane must be reduced one grade and measured inside wane or bark. All boards one inch and under thick shall be measured face measure. If sawed scant one inch shall be reduced one grade; if under threefourths of an inch reduced two grades. All badly mis-sawed lumber shall be classed as culls. No cull is considered as having a marketable value which will not work one-half its size without waste. Lumber sawed for specific purposes, as axles, bolsters, reaches, harrow timbers, newels, balusters, etc., must be inspected with a view to the adaptability of the piece for the intended use, as in many cases it cannot be utilized for other purposes. In the inspection of combined grades of firsts and seconds, an undue predominance of seconds should always be judiciously ascertained, as the purchaser is entitled to the full average in quality, based upon the average mill run of the kind of timber involved. Standard lengths are always recognized as being 12, 14 and 16 feet, but 10 per cent. of 10 feet lengths may be allowed. Shorter than 10 feet does not come within the range of marketable, although sometimes admitted. In black walnut and cherry an exception is made, and 10 feet is recognized as a standard length, and 10 per cent. of eight foot lengths may be admitted in the firsts and seconds, and even six feet in lower grades. Mill culls are never recognized as marketable, and all culls which will not work to the use for which the timber or the size is applicable, without wasting more than one-half, is a mill cull, and shall be so reported on certificate.

Hickory should never be cut while the sap is rising, as it is then liable to powder-post, and indications of deterioration of this character should be carefully scrutinized by the inspector.

Newels from all kinds of timber must be cut outside the heart, to square 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 inches when seasoned; the lengths must be four feet or the multiples thereof.