pine crating or boxing lumber of one inch in thickness. Occasionally it is necessary to use some hard wood lumber where a little more weight than usual is to be placed in the cases. You will note that they are cleated at the corners on each end, giving strength and also providing better facilities for fastening on the lid. All cases, which are five foot or more in length, especially if considerable weight is placed in them, are also provided with cleats in the middle on the inside of the cases, on both sides and the bottom.

"All cases are bound with heavy strap iron and extremely well nailed. The small cases are bound on each end with strap iron, while the longer ones are also bound in the middle and if exceptionally long we place two bands of strap iron in the middle, making four altogether.

"The average weight of our cases is around 400 pounds gross and they very seldom weigh more than 650 to 700 pounds. For the West Coast of South America the cases, of course, are somewhat smaller and we always follow closely the wishes of our customers when they want the weight held down to the minimum on account of having to carry the cases over the mountains on muleback.

"We have in charge of our export packing department an old and experienced employee, who takes a special interest in the business and a special pleasure in seeing to it that all goods reach destination in the same condition they leave the factory."

Another large shipper writes us:

"We use double end cases built of North Carolina or Georgia pine, and banded with hoop iron. In packing the boxes we are careful to see that there are no bulges in the middle, as these will bring the weight of the cargo unnecessarily upon the contents of the box, and result in breakage without any apparent cause. Normally, we pack 3 plows in a box, but the small plows go 6 in a box, and the heavy contractor's plows 2 in a box.

"The plows are set up complete with the exception

of the handles, and are then knocked down, all of the parts of the plow being together so that every plow can be assembled with the same parts. While it is true that plow parts are interchangeable, it is not possible to assemble and polish them, and after tearing them down, to build them from parts at random, and have them look as well as the original plow. The iron and steel parts are packed in excelsior, and the wood parts are protected from damage through contact with the iron parts by a thin strip of wood. The handles are included, so that each box contains all the parts to complete the plows.

"We endeavor to keep the boxes to within the limit of about 450 pounds, as our experience shows that heavier boxes show a great increase of breakage.

In connection with this information the photographs reproduced together on page 409 will be found of interest. Cut No. 1 shows a box of plow parts before being nailed up. The use of prairie hay for packing between cast parts or between steel and wood parts to prevent scratching of painted surfaces will be noted. Before the box is finally nailed up additional hay is put on top and the case is filled as full as possible. Cut No. 2 shows a carload of goods all boxed, packed, stenciled and marked and ready for loading.

CHAPTER XV

THE PACKING OF HARDWARE, TOOLS, AUTOMOBILE ACCESSORIES, SMALL APPARATUS

I'

T is very probable that one of the very important reasons for the success that has attended American export trade in hardware and tools has been due to the character of the packing and the care with which the firms most prominent in the work have distinguished their export effort. The neat, carefully wrapped and cartoned American tool or fine hardware is a delight to the foreign merchant and is constantly winning us good grace and favor.

The character of the American export package is in direct contrast to the European method, and this is fairly surprising in view of the care with which the European export package is usually looked after. The fact is, however, that the continental manufacturers usually ship tools either loose or uninvitingly wrapped in brown paper, and the merchandise hardly graces the merchants' shelves when once it has been unpacked and piled up as best the situation permits.

It is not alone the neat carton that commends the American package of tools or hardware, it is also the well considered export case in which the goods are placed. The best practice of the United States has developed an excellent export case for this class of goods, and the man abroad who takes his exercise along the docks from time to time is more than once pleased to note many excellent cases with the name of some well known American manufacturer of tools or hardware stamped thereon.

Character of Complaints. However, no American manufacturer of hardware or tools and similar goods should delude himself into the belief that his packing is

necessarily perfect. Not a few complaints are constantly being received from foreign customers of American manufacturers as to the unsatisfactory condition in which various commodities are received. For example, a letter from a large New York export merchant specializing in the shipping of hardware and tools reports several complaints recently received. One from Australia referred to the light, frail cases which many American manufacturers use and the soft woods employed for making the cases which are not at all suited for the long sea journey. Another complaint received by this merchant from customers in India refers to the same characteristic of some American packing, that is, cases too light and iron banding both too narrow and too light weight. Furthermore, the Indian customers of the New York exporter declare that there is a very large breakage of iron castings due to the totally insufficient use of excelsior or other stuffing material.

Other complaints of the way in which some American hardware is shipped are voiced in a letter on this subject from another export merchant, who declares that his foreign customers very frequently complain of the poor quality of the cardboard boxes which are used for containing shelf hardware, padlocks, etc., which frequently arrive torn or crushed. This is attributed both to the fact that the cardboard used is too light in weight and to the fact that the cartons are not quite filled, leaving empty spaces which make crushing almost inevitable, besides permitting the contents to rattle about. If cartons are not quite full they should be firmly wadded with tissue or waste paper. Of course, damage to a cardboard box which is intended for shelf display purposes is quite a serious handicap to the free development of further and larger business. Naturally all such cartons of hardware ought to be very firmly packed inside of the wooden cases.

Complaint it seems is also sometimes received as to inadequate waterproofing protection of cases of hardware. To this is attributed the spots of rust which are frequently found and interfere seriously with the sal

ability of the goods. Furthermore, one export merchant protests against the use of thoroughly inadequate cases in the packing of very expensive lines of hardware, and rightly believes that the more valuable the contents the greater the care which ought to be devoted to their protection.

Examples of Actual Practice.-It is worthy of note that by no means a small percentage of hardware exports is dispatched in kegs and barrels instead of in cases. This form of package is probably preferred in most instances because a keg or barrel is considerably cheaper than a suitable export packing case. Shipments in this form of container will be found discussed in a special chapter dealing with barrelled goods. In this connection one of the largest manufacturers of cast-iron cistern pumps in the United States declares that while his shipments are customarily exported in barrels, for which a charge is made only about one-half of what would be necessary if packing cases were used, yet he has one customer in Europe to whom these common cast-iron pumps are shipped entirely naked. In this particular case, the explanation is that the merchandise is transported by a direct steamship line plying between New York and the city where the customer is located, and the line in question is one of the oldest and most careful steamship companies in the world paying special attention to the handling of cargo of all sorts. The customer in this instance believes that he suffers less loss from breakage when the pumps are shipped naked than the cost even of barrels amounts to. Of course, instances like this are not to be considered as precedents. All goods, hardware and everything else, must always in the absence of special agreements with customers be shipped with the fullest and most adequate protection possible. From the experience in letters received from a great many different manufacturers of various kinds of hardware, a few extracts may be made as illustrating the practice and policy of large shippers who have been exporting their goods for a great many years.