PLAN FOR THE PIT-WOOD WORKING CIRCLE, RAITH ESTATE. 223 
XV. Working Plan for the Pit-Wood Working Circle, Raith Estate. 
By Colonel F, Bar.ey, assisted by GEorGE U. Macpona.p. 
INTRODUCTION. 
As the Working Plan for Raith is the first such plan drawn 
up and brought into operation in Scotland, it may not be out 
of place to explain briefly in what a Working Plan consists, and 
to give the reasons which render a plan of this kind necessary 
for all woods to be worked for profit. 
Tt has frequently been stated that home-grown wood can 
never compete with imported timber, because the soil and 
climate of these islands are alike incapable of producing either 
the quality of material or the quantity per acre that can be 
grown in the countries from which we draw a large proportion 
of our supplies. On this subject Dr Schlich! says :—“ In the 
jirst place, British timber cannot compete with the imported 
timber, because, as at present grown, it is of inferior quality, 
being generally shorter and less clear of branches and knots. 
Moreover, conifers generally grow too quickly in Britain, because 
the woods are too heavily thinned while young; hence the 
individual trees increase too rapidly, and produce timber 
inferior to that of the same species imported from the Baltic, 
and grown in crowded woods. Secondly, the home-grown timber 
is brought into the market in fluctuating quantities, so that 
neither a regular timber trade, nor superior methods of working 
up the material, nor forest industries, have a chance of developing 
and thriving. In short, the whole business is far too haphazard. 
Economic forestry, to be successful, must be conducted on true 
sylvicultural principles, and the yield must be so regulated 
that, approximately, the same quantity of material may be 
brought into the market every year; in other words, the 
principle of a sustained and well-regulated yield must be re- 
cognised. Then, and then only, can adequate financial results 
be expected from forestry.” 
There can be no reasonable doubt that the above represents 
the truth of the matter, and that our frequent failures to obtain 
satisfactory financial results are not due to defects in our soil and 
climate, but rather to the non-observance of sylvicultural rules, 
1“ Manual of Forestry,” vol, iii., preface, pp. vi. and vii. 
