Sale of Wood in Aberdeenshire. 103 



growth, produced from the former cutting of the underwood 

 2, KStorers, being young trees above these ages, but not measurable as 

 timber ; 3. Trees containing from two to five feet of timber ; 4. Trees 

 from six to ten feet; 5. Trees from eleven to twenty feet; 6. Trees 

 from twenty-one to thirty feet; 7. Trees from thirty-one to forty feet; 

 8. All trees containing above forty feet, except browse trees ; 9. Browse 

 oaks of all sizes. The ash was divided into three classes, — wavers, 

 storers (as above described), and browse ashes. The soil of the 

 district is admirably suited for the growth of large oaks, and in 1789 

 Mr. John Gollingridge, who was instructed to make a report on the 

 forest, writes : — "In the course of 105 to 130 years oak timber would 

 grow there to a size fit for navy purposes. Trees fit for plank and 

 thickstuff are never fit for those purposes in less than 100 years, and 

 for the principal large pieces some trees may require 150 years. The 

 navy timber bought at &\. 18s. a load, as delivered at his Majesty's 

 yards, is fully as cheap as any timber bought of the merchants. The 

 growth and quality of the young timber now growing in the forest, 

 and the fine large timber that has been felled for many years for the 

 navy, is a general proof that the soil must be very proper for the 

 growth of oak timber." This sketch would be incomplete without 

 adding that in 1875 we find from the Eeport of the Commissioners 

 of Woods and Forests that the total receipt from Salcey Wood was 

 £596 15s. lOd., and the total expenditure for the same £397 lis. 4d. 



Sale of Wood at Meldrum House, 

 Aberdeenshire. 



The demand was good, and the prices realized were exceptionally 

 high. Smokewood, for fish-curing, from 15s. to 18s. per ton ; small spruce 

 and Scots fir thinnings sold at 20s. per 100 pieces, average 12 feet in 

 length and 2 inches in diameter at small end. Brushwood sold at from Is. to 

 2s. 6d. per cart-load of about 10 cwt., and small ash from Is. 9d. to 2s. 6d. 

 per cubic foot. Current prices in the neighbourhood for manufactured 

 wood of home growth are as under : f in. sarking, spruce or Scots fir, 

 8s. 6d. to 10s. per 100 superficial feet ; 1 inch flooring, lOs. to 12s. 6d. ; 

 beech boards, lis. to 13s. per 100 superficial feet. Fence posts, larch, 5 

 feet long, and averaging 1\ inches diameter, 31s. to 40s. per 100 ; larch 

 rails, 4 inches by 1|- inches, 48. 6d. to 6s. per 100 lineal feet ; Scots fir 

 and spruce, 2s. 9d. to 4s. ; Scots fir and spruce fence posts, 20s. per 100 

 pieces, 5 feet long, 2^ to 3^ inches in diameter at small ends. Larch, 

 small sizes in whole trees, Is. to Is. 6d. ; medium. Is. 6d. to Is. 9d. per 

 cubic foot. Manufactured, 1^ to 2\ inches plank, 2s. 6d. to 2s. 8d. ; 

 2i to 3i inches, 2s. 2d. to 2s. 4d. per cubic foot. The above are the 

 average prices. 



D. F. McKenzie. 



