THE UTILISATION OF SMALL-WOOD FOR TURNERY, ETC. 149 
the various markets, both English and Scotch, where the industry 
of bobbin turning is still carried on. The outlet in the famous 
Ayrshire fancy ornament factories has greatly fallen off, but the 
loss of this has not been so grievously felt in the case of sycamore 
as in that of ash, &., seeing the open market remains for the 
sycamore for bobbin requirements. The manufacture from this 
wood of domestic utensils has for some time considerably declined, 
for the same reason that is assigned to the diminution of the fancy 
ornament trade. 
The wood that has suffered in the curtailment of demand for 
its waste and small sizes is beech, on which wood was relied the 
supply for the manufacture of common quality of bobbins, No 
other variety of timber produces such an extent of top and small 
sizes as the beech, and the proprietor of any quantity is often 
perplexed as to the course he must adopt to dispose of it. Its 
excessive weight absolutely prevents its being conveyed any 
lengthened distance, and seldom is beech secured in sufficient 
quantities in one district as to warrant the erection of sawmill 
plant for the exclusive purpose of cutting up the tops and limbs. 
In the event of a sawmill being erected for the purpose of con- 
verting other wood in which beech may be contained, it is quite 
practicable to utilise with profit every particle of small beech, by 
sawing it up into the squares from which the bobbins are turned, 
and after seasoning for a few weeks, the weight has been so 
reduced as to effect a saving of from 50 to 60 per cent. on the 
carriage. But thisis the only means where small beech in a country 
district may be disposed of, otherwise, under the present condi- 
tions, it is almost necessary to leave the wood on the ground, as is 
frequently done, or allow it to be taken for firewood at a small 
price. There are certainly other outlets for small beech, such as 
tool handles, ornamental turned pieces of furniture work, ete., but 
the supply necessary to meet this demand is more than met by the 
waste wood created in the conversion of the tree timber, which is 
always done at a town or central sawmill. Recourse may be had 
to the manufacture of pit-chocks, which are from 2 inches square 
and upwards by 2 feet long; but to make this profitable, it is 
necessary that a sawmill should be adjacent, pit timber of all kinds 
having a place amongst the lowest-priced timber goods. The 
present difficult position as regards small beech remains therefore 
unsolved. 
The remarks stated as regards beech are equally applicable to 
