Editors Box. 357 



auction. I was tlieu requested l)y those present to write to the Journal of 

 Forestry, and state in as \)\^m terms as possible that no such prices were 

 in existence in the timber trade in the north of Scotland, with authority 

 to use the names of the parties, if necessary, in confirmation of the fact. 



In turning up the prices I quoted at page IIG, I may say that the 

 same prices are now difficult to command, as Scots fir of the best quality 

 is being delivered from this estate in Aberdeen at Is. Id. per foot. As 

 good but no better timber can be got, some of the trees measuring from 

 sixty feet to eighty feet in length, and of large girth. The same timber 

 was lately advertised in the Timlcr Trades Journal, and no one made an 

 offer for it, showing the stagnation of trade and lower tendency of prices. 



Without farther remark I shall now give the names and addresses 

 of the parties who will corroborate my statements, if any of your readers 

 desire to communicate with them in reference to the same ; viz., Messrs. 

 Lyon and ]\Iurison, timber merchants, Fyvie; Mr. Dallas, timber mer- 

 chant, Macduff ; and Mr. James McKenzie, Keilhill Saw-mills, King Edward. 

 These parties devote their special attenUon to the purchase and disposal 

 of home-grown timber, and although they send it to all parts of the 

 country, wherever they can find a profitable market, they distinctly affirm 

 that they cannot command anything like the Cullen prices. 



I shall next mention one or two consumers of timber, viz., Mr. Duncan, 

 boatbuilder, Macduff; Llessrs. Watson, shipbuilders, Banff; and Mr. 

 Andrew, mechanic, Danshillock, King Edward ; and if need be others can 

 be named in the near neighbourhood of Cullen. These parties say that 

 they do not give more than the prices I have stated at page 11(5, as they 

 can get " any amount of timber delivered free in their yards at those same 

 prices or less." Mr. Andrew appropriately remarking that " the market 

 price of our goods will not permit us to give more." 



Mr. Terras, forester, Delgaty Castle, Turriff, says, " I cannot get any- 

 thing like the Cullen prices, but I should be only too glad to get them if 

 they exist ; however, their existence is very doubtful." In a recent letter 

 from Mr. Walker, forester, Balgonie, Fifeshire, he observes, "I see tht 

 forester would like to maintain his big prices at Cullen, but we certainly 

 cannot get anything approaching his figures in this county." I will not 

 farther enlarge on the subject, but merely add that during a fortnight's 

 trip to the south I visited many foresters, wood merchants, shipbuilders, 

 and others, with whom naturally timber and its prices was an interesting 

 topic of conversation ; but when I mentioned the wonderful " Cullen 

 Prices," they were simply laughed at as being too ridiculous for a moment's 

 consideration. On my own part I fail to comprehend how people can 

 afford to pay such prices at Cullen, when they have to compete with the 

 same commodities in the same market with those who are buying at a 

 much cheaper rate the material consumed in the manufacture of precisely 

 the same articles. 



From a considerable experience of Glasgow prices, I should say that 

 "Ranger " (see page 106) would command about the best prices to be got 

 in Scotland ; yet he there states he cannot get for oak within Is. Cd. per 



