82 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



speed and eflSciency. Log upon log succeed each other in a 

 constant stream ; they press forward upon the vertical saws, and 

 are borne off in front in many forms of planking. Thirty high- 

 speed frame-saws are working together under the one roof; 

 and they convert annually upwards of 6,000,000 cubic feet of 

 timber, most of which comes to this country. Three engines 

 aggregating 7000 horse-power, maintain the work of the mill by 

 incessant labour day and night. They receive no fuel other 

 than the waste sawdust, which is brought to them automatically. 

 Everything about the mill is economically arranged, neither 

 time nor material being lost. The slabs, planks, etc., coming 

 from the saws are quickly assorted, each to receive further 

 attention. Mechanism has been called in as far as possible to 

 take the place of manual labour, and there is the most complete 

 dispersal of the several products ; much of the material 

 being despatched to the planing-machines, sapwood going to the 

 charcoal kilns, and rough ends becoming firewood. The same 

 company that is felling the trees of the northern forests exports 

 wood finished with a moulding, and boards ready planed and 

 mortised, A complete village is included within the boundaries 

 of the property, comprising houses for most of the thirteen 

 hundred to fourteen hundred workpeople employed at the mills. 

 From works like this it is amply evident that Sweden means to 

 make the most of her vanishing timber supply. No longer does 

 the produce come over to us "in the round"; instead of that, 

 Swedish machines and Swedish labour now wring from it the 

 last ore of profit. 



Almost due west from Gefle is Falun, the capital of Dalarne, 

 which was visited by the Society. It is only a small town, but 

 it has been famous from early times on account of its rich 

 copper-mine. The Falun mine has, since records have been kept, 

 yielded 500,000 tons of copper, valued at £50,000,000. Its 

 deepest shaft descends to 1200 feet. The arboriculturists 

 entered the mine, but explorations at a much less depth satis- 

 fied them. Round about Falun the country is absolutely 

 desolate, being bereft of all vegetation by the poisonous fumes 

 from the furnaces. The aspect was not cheering, and did not 

 encourage further investigation. The members who ventured 

 underground were therefore the more surprised at the wonder- 

 ful reception that awaited them. Before going down, they were 

 provided with a picturesque attire — a long tunic fastened about 



