PLAN FOR THE PIT-WOOD WORKING CIRCLE, RAITH ESTATE. 231 
is cut into firewood to supply Raith House and local demands. 
The rates per (quarter-girth) cubic foot, obtained at temporary 
depots formed near the felling-areas, for the various kinds of 
timber, are now as follows :—Scots fir, from 4d. to 6d., according 
to size of log ; spruce, from 3d. to 5d.; oak and ash, about 1s. 6d. ; 
elm, 1s. 3d.; beech, 6d. to 10d., according to size of log; plane 
(sycamore), 2s. to 6s., according to size of log. Round, hand- 
pointed stakes for sheep-nets, about 2 inches to 23 inches in 
diameter, are sold at 7s. per hundred stakes ; larch is preferred 
for this purpose, but straight clean poles of Scots fir, spruce, or 
hardwoods are also used. Firewood sawn into billets sells freely 
at 8s. per cart-load, delivered within a radius of two miles from 
the saw-mill ; this price representing a clear profit of 2s. per cart- 
load. The timber used for estate purposes consists principally of 
fencing “stobs” (posts) of larch, and “bars” (rails) of Scots fir. 
A 10 horse-power traction engine is employed to drag the 
logs to depot, and to saw up posts and rails for fencing. 
THe Coat-Minine InpDustRY IN FIFE. 
The Fife coal-mines, from which are raised annually about five 
million tons of coal, consume a yearly average of approximately 
the following amount of pit-wood, viz.:— 
Equivalent in 
solid cubie feet 
4-girth 
} 
| 
| Linear feet. ( 
| measurement). 
Imported wood, almost entirely spruce 
and Scots fir, coming ere from 
Baltic ports, . ; ‘ : 23,750,000 | 1,484,375 
Home - grown wood, chiefly Scots fir 
and _ spruce from the north of 
Scotland, : : 4 ; 1,250,000 78,125 
Totals, . : : 25,000,000 1,562,500 
The description of wood preferred for the mines consists of :— 
Round fir “props,” which run from 23 feet to 6 feet in length ; 
the most suitable diameter being 3 inches at the smaller end. 
Round fir “bars,” which vary in length from 6 feet to 9 feet ; 
they should have a diameter of from 4 inches to 6 inches 
at the smaller end. 
