154 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
inches, so that in preparing the set the whole timber is utilised. 
A waggon specification always contains a size of from 7 to 8 feet 
long, of the same scantling as the trams, which is profitably cut 
out of short butts, a class of tree which is too common in all lots 
of oak timber. The slabs, from the preparation of the principal 
trams, cut from the heavy bole of the tree, are not generally 
sufticient to complete the specification, and this affords the oppor- 
tunity of utilising the top of the tree upwards from the cross- 
cutting of the butt for the tram, and makes up the necessary 
amount of raw timber to complete the smaller sizes of the specifi- 
cation. When the specified timber is completed, there will be 
found odd pieces left over, mostly of smaller sizes. These are 
usually converted into railway sleeper keys, of varying lengths, 
down to 6 inches, and thus work up all these pieces. With a 
little study and care the manufacture of waggon timber can be 
thus carried on without entailing any appreciable amount of loss 
or waste, The cubical contents of the manufactured scantlings 
may with care amount to the cubical contents found by the taking 
the quarter girth of the round tree, and sometimes to even 
more. 
Turning to crooked oak timber, the demand for which has been 
very much restricted by the substitution of iron for wood in ship- 
building, there is sometimes experienced difficulty in getting 
immediate use for it. On the whole, however, there is still 
sufficient demand to absorb the supply, certain classes of special 
vessels necessitating the consumption of what produce is generally 
forthcoming outside of ordinary shipbuilding. Vessels for the 
African trade, and those similarly built, using up the most of the 
timber of this description. Although the field of outlet is limited 
for this class of wood, it is never likely to be subjected to the 
competition of foreign supplies, as the expense of importing a cargo 
of crooked timber is too serious to be entertained; the carrying 
capacity of a ship could not be profitably utilised by loading a 
cargo of crooks. 
Very heavy oak of large dimensions, say 2 feet and upwards, 
retains its high value, and is utilised for cabinet work and other 
special purposes. For these the tree must be sawn across the 
quarter, in order to produce the “figure” for which the oak is 
famous. To obtain the full volume, it is absolutely necessary that 
the tree be eut over the quarter, and, if properly done, no other 
oak can compare with our home produce for beauty and excellence, 
