Twenty-four tons pressure on a surface of 450 square inches harmed nothing. Our officers' uniforms carried splendidly, so did our fur caps, fur gloves and fur Paakas to Siberia. Fur caps, the most expensive things we shipped, $3,000 worth in a bale, arrived safely at destination and not a single complaint was made on account of loss or stealing. In making up the bale the packages were placed one on top of the other in layers like masonry. The bales were protected with waterproof expansive paper covering besides the regular burlap covering. Many of these bales crossed the water, suffered exposure that rusted the metal bands almost completely through, and yet came back to the United States with the goods inside just as smooth. and perfect as the day they left our shores, showing beyond question that burlap and paper make as sturdy a protective envelope as any case that was ever devised. Cased goods returned were a mess. The stealing from the bales was practically nil, for in this class of packing it is very difficult for a package or piece to be removed; to do so a steel band must be cut, and that would not escape detection. It is true that we lost an occasional bale as well as case, but tampering with the bale itself and removal of contents was practically unknown. Our records show that there was one complaint of mismarking to 30,000 bales. This, I think, is a very good record indeed. Another interesting point about the bale was the salvage value of the material used in covering. When wooden cases got to France and were opened at the front they could not be burned because of the smoke, and they could not be well used for other purposes. The covering of the bale, on the contrary, came in splendidly for many uses, particularly for sandbags, each piece of burlap having been cut to make two sandbags. Marking. Our bales were marked with numbers, each number designating a particular commodity, and the same method could be profitably used in a great deal of export work. It does not matter what language a man speaks, he may be Chinese, African or Portuguese, but this notwithstanding he will learn immediately the significance of a number, while printed or painted words would be unintelligible. And so we used a four-inch black number on a buff background that could be distinguished a long way off. We had a series of basic numbers and another of subsidiary numbers. For example, "15" stood for overcoats, as that was the quantity put into a bale, and when the "15" had a number "40" by the side of it, separated by a dash, this was a bale of overcoats size 40, the left-hand number denoting the quantity in the bale, i. e., 15. This was done throughout. There were different sorts of gauntlets: heavy leather, lined, chauffeur, and so on. Each had its basic number and another number alongside to designate the particular size of glove. In a short time we found that the men became acquainted with the numbers and rarely made a mistake. This helped greatly in warehousing. We found the question of hooks was solved by having ears on the bales for handles, and the moderate weight rendered hooks unnecessary. Doubtless there are questions that I have not answered and that will occur to every reader, but the space at my disposal does not permit a lengthier discussion of the subject of baling. The point I have tried to make here is that of the value of baling as a shipping and packing method, and I believe that what I have said will be sufficient to cause investigation on the part of the individual shipper. If this is done the correctness of my statements and conclusions will be fully demonstrated. It should be appreciated that I have attempted here to show clearly the tremendous possibilities in the baling of goods, and in our practice with overseas shipments during the war we found that there were very few commodities that could not be satisfactorily baled. However, I do not wish any shipper to assume that the practice illustrated is suitable in all commercial transactions. In the case of shoes, hardware and other goods, bulk shipments in bales should be made only after an understand ing has been reached with the consignee that such form of packing would be satisfactory. It is quite possible that consignees would desire shoes, hardware, readymade clothing and other commodities packed in certain form and in cases rather than in bales, and the shipper must be thoroughly sure of the wishes of the consignee before proceeding to make up the package. The point that I have desired to stress in this article is that the bale offers a most economical and useful means of packing and shipping goods, and that the possibilities of this method should be always considered in any packing problem. T CHAPTER VII THE FOREST PRODUCTS LABORATORY EN years ago the Forest Service of the U. S. Department of Agriculture established the Forest Products Laboratory on the Campus of the University of Wisconsin, at Madison, Wisconsin, and the record of the laboratory during the period of its existence has been one of incalculable usefulness to the Government and to the nation at large. At first the laboratory occupied one small building and had a meagre annual appropriation for its support, but so important a place has it taken in the work to which it is devoted and so extensive has its cooperation become with the Government and business interests of the country, that to-day it occupies several large buildings, its personnel numbers over two hundred people and it is receiving nearly a half million dollars a year for its support. It is without doubt one of the world's greatest industrial laboratories, and so thoroughly has it proved its usefulness that a number of large organizations are now constructing laboratories of their own, modeled after the one at Madison. So far as we know, Canada is the only foreign country that possesses a similar institution, and this was planned along the lines laid down at the plant in the United States. Its Service to Export Manufacturers and Shippers. In one of its bulletins the Forest Products Laboratory states that "no industrial research is complete until its results have received commercial demonstration and the industry concerned is reaping the benefits. It is essential, therefore, that proper contact be maintained between the industrial research laboratory and the industries which it serves." This we believe expresses in a few words the |