32 The yournal of Forestry. 



In compiling the foregoing returns from a mass of very interesting 

 information kindly sent to us from many localities throughout the 

 Vnited Kingdom, we have found it very difficult to do justice to all 

 the information submitted to us, as much of it, while directly bearing 

 on the range of relative prices of forest produce in different districts, 

 contains information beyond the columns of our tables, and we are 

 therefore led to supplement our tabular matter by some facts com- 

 municated to us by valued correspondents in various counties. In 

 estimating the value of forest produce in different quarters, there are 

 several elements which pla}- no inconsiderable part in the calculation, 

 aud which must be taken into account in comparing the price of one 

 variety of wood with that of the same in a different locality. These 

 circumstances to which we refer are the size and scantling and conse- 

 quent intrinsic value of the timber, its position when felled in the 

 wood, and comparative ease of transit to port of shipment, railway 

 station, or market, and the condition of the roads over which sucli 

 intermediate conveyance is required, and also the distance from a 

 roadside railway station to the nearest great centre of use or manu- 

 facture. Another difficulty in comparing the relative prices of forest 

 produce in different localities arises from the different customs pre- 

 valent in regard to the sales in different counties and districts. Thus, 

 for example, we find in West Sussex that oak is usually quoted 

 standing with lop and top and hark, at so much per load of fifty feet 

 according to size and dimensions of the trees. Again, in places where 

 owing to the nature of the soil, or from other reasons, the quality of 

 timber, or its size, only renders it suitable for inferior purposes, such as 

 pitwood props, »S:c., the prices quoted from such districts will not 

 bear favourable or even fair comparison with those of heavy tall 

 timber felled in other counties and of the very highest quality. 



Again, when there is a good local demand from any particular 

 reason, the prices of even inferior quality of wood will compare better 

 wdtli those of other districts than they are intrinsically entitled to do. 

 Thus, for example, in Banffshire the quotations are higher than in 

 most other counties in Scotland. This, no doubt, is owing to the 

 demand and consumption being local. Most of the timber grown within 

 ten miles of the coast is used in ship and boat building, or in connec- 

 tion with harbours, lisli curing, herring barrels,^ &c. Till recently 

 only certain kinds of wood were allowed by law to be used for the 

 manufacture of herring barrels ; recent legislation has, however, 

 changed this embargo on other woods, and now any kind of timber, 

 including larch, may be used. 



The demand being almost exclusively local is influenced by local 

 causes, such as successful or unsuccessful herring and haddock fish- 

 ings. Last year being in general poor, herring fishing told prej udicially 



