MANAGEMENT AND SALE OF TIMBER. 125 



profitable course would have been to allow the whole crop to 

 have stood as long as it continued in a growing condition (cutting 

 out only decayed trees), which would have been for about 50 

 to 55 years, and to have sold it at one time in suitable quantities. 

 About 550 trees oer acre would have stood upon the ground, 

 which undoubtedly would have realized a sum higher than was 

 obtained. 



No. V. is a portion of natural Scotch pine timber in Strath- 

 spey, in a clearing of forest woodland. The portion to which 

 the following statement applies was from 75 to 85 years old. 

 The trees were valued according to measurement standing upon 

 the ground, and sold accordingly at the following rates : — 



168 Timber trees/ averaging 15 feet each, = 2520 feet, at 7;Ul. 



par foot, ----- £78 15 



100 Sparwood trees, 5 to 8 in. diameter at 12 feet from the 



ground, at Is. each, ----- 500 



80 Propwood trees, 3 to 5 in. diameter at 12 feet from the 



ground, at 4d. each, ... - - 108 



1st Value per Acre, - JESS I JS 



140 Timber trees, averaging 14 feet each, = 19G0 feet, at lid. 



per foot, . . - - - £01 5 



SO Sparwood trees, 5 to 8 in. diameter at 12 feet from the 



ground, at Is. each, 4 



60 Propwood trees, 3 to 5 in. diameter at 12 feet from the 



ground, at 4d. each, - - 10 



2nd Value per Acre, - £66 5 



120 Timber trees, average 12 ft. each, = 1440 ft., at 7 -J per foot, £45 



9 I Sparwood trees, 5 to 8 in. diameter at 12 feet, at Is. per tree, 4 14 



120 Propwood trees, 3 to 5 in. do. at 12 feet, at 4d. each, 2 



3rd Value per Acre, • - £51_14 



This portion of forest, of which these separate valuations are 

 given, as representing the medium and extreme values, grew up 

 pretty closely, and without thinning, till nine years ago, when it 

 was considered that by thinning it the general crop would be 

 benefited; few timber size trees were taken out of it, only sparwood 

 and propwood. The results, however, proved very unfavourable, at 

 the time the writer first saw the woo I, it appeared to him as if 

 partially frost bitten, and weather beaten, the foliage light in 

 colour, "and leaves short and clustered. Few trees died between 

 the periods of thinning and finally clearing it, but many of them 

 were blown down by the wind. An example like this might 

 possibly give a bias against thinning natural forests, but this 



