2o6 'riie your rial of Forestry. 



dispLaying a much more intimate acquaintance with the ancient classics 

 than with modern arboriculture, Sanscrit, Hebrew, Greek, and Latin 

 being quoted as glibly as the mother tongue, which may show a considerable 

 amount of classic learning, but is a poor excuse for such a small modicum 

 of sound practical and scientific arboriculture, and the want of common 

 generosity. 



The, Practical Timber Merchant. By W. RiCllARDSON. 

 London : Crosby Lockwood and Co. 



This handy manual " is intended for the use of all who are either timber 

 merchants, builders, joiners, carpenters," and we will add the growers of 

 timber trees as well, foresters in particular, who willfind in it much valuable 

 information and interesting facts in regard to the growth, strength, and 

 selection of timber ; fancy woods and their principal distinguishing marks ; 

 lathwood ; sawing and planing ; and the creosoting of timber ; with well got 

 up, clear and comprehensive tables showing the price per foot run of various 

 sizes of timber, and its equivalent per Petersburg standard ; the price per 

 cubic foot, and its equivalent per load of 50 cubic feet ; the cost of a 

 12 feet length, at a price per 120 12 feet lengths, irrespective of width or 

 thickness ; cost of sawing and planing of all descriptions ; price per 

 Petersburg standard of boards at any price per running foot ; price per 

 superficial foot of boards of various thicknesses at per cubic load or foot ; 

 the value of different scantlings in pence per foot run, according to the 

 price per cubic foot of timber ; reduction of any number of running feet of 

 various dimensions to the Petersburg standard; the weight of a cubic 

 foot of timber of various descriptions, and other building materials ; railway 

 c^'C, carriage tables ; and a table showing the relative value of the Peters- 

 burg standard to various other standards ; with a variety of information 

 on other matters concerning timber ; all of which are of much use and 

 interest to the forester and all others connected with the growth, sale, and 

 manufacture of timber. 



From the interesting chapter on the growth of timber we quote the 

 following in reference to the well-known Sijcamora or Great Maple, known 

 as the plane tree in Scotland : — " Frequently we hear of the sycamore 

 abused as not worth growing for the value of its timber, and devoid of 

 beauty of outline and picturesque effect as an ornamental tree. We, never- 

 theless, agree with Sir T. D. Lauder, that it is certainly ' a, noble tree.' " 



Turner, writing in 1551, and Gerard in 1597, both describe it as being 

 a stranger to England ; and Ray speaks of it as a tree common to court- 

 yards, churchyards, avenues, &c. Upon the Continent the sycamore is 

 spread over the greater part of Middle Europe, affecting wooded moun- 

 tainous situations. 



In Switzerland, where it abounds, it reaches, according to Loudon, an 

 altitude as high as u,000 feet above the level of the sea. From the 

 strength of its spray, and the nature of its growth, which is stiff" and 

 angular, the sycamore is better calculated than any other tree with which 



