4 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
5 Sr ANDREW SQUARE, 
EpINBURGH, 8th March 1893. 
Dear Srr,—I submitted your letter of the 15th November last 
to a meeting of the Council held on the Ist curt., and have been 
requested te make the following observations thereon. The clause 
in the specifications of the Board of Agriculture, with reference 
to the timber to be used in buildings in Scotland, reads as 
follows :— 
‘* Timber.—In all cases where fir timber is used, it shall be the 
best of its kind, and well-seasoned,—that obtained from 
Memel or Riga, and battens from Dram, St Petersburg, 
or other Norway or Baltic ports, is to be preferred, but 
if not procurable, the best quality of American red 
pine only may be substituted; or, if specially allowed 
by the Commissioners, larch or ‘home-grown fir’ may 
be used, if thoroughly sound and well seasoned, in which 
case the age, size, and growth of the trees must always 
be specified.” 
The Council are not aware of any reasons why such restrictions 
should be placed on the use of timber of home growth, especially 
for roofing purposes, as it is well known that such can be obtained 
of an equal lasting quality to any that is imported, and for couples, 
with the exception of pitch pine, none is equal to home-grown 
larch.. In these specifications, home-grown timber, if it should not 
receive a preference, ought at least to be placed on a footing equal 
to that specified for foreign. Were that done, stocks would be 
created which could, it is believed, be placed on the market on 
as favourable terms, and of as good a lasting quality, as any 
imported. 
If the clause quoted above were made to read as follows, it would 
satisfy all requirements :—‘“‘ In all cases where fir timber is used, it 
shall be the best of its kind, and well-seasoned. Home-grown 
timber to be cut from sound trees of suitable dimensions. Where 
imported timber is to be used, that obtained from Memel or Riga, 
and battens from Dram, St Petersburg, or other Norway or Baltic 
ports, is to be preferred, but if not procurable, the best quality of 
American red pine only may be substituted.” 
The Council are at a loss for the reasons why home timber 
should be excluded from Government contracts, and they feel that 
instead of giving the cold shoulder to the industries connected 
with the growth and manufacture of timber, the Government should 
be the first to encourage and foster them in every way possible, 
even by preferring timber of home growth, wherever it is suitable, 
to that of foreign. 
The postal authorities use imported timber for their telegraph 
poles, which, after being dressed, are creosoted. Importations 
of Pinus sylvestris for that purpose, before being dressed, have 
been examined by experts, and they report that Pinus sylvestris 
