I04 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



From the above figures, the cost in hauling i ton comes out 



at "185 of a gallon per mile, or 100 cubic feet of converted 



timber on -370 gallon per mile. At present prices of petrol, the 



fuel cost of motor haulage would work out somewhat as under — 



Shd. per ton per mile. 



IS. 5d. per 100 cubic feet per mile. 



H. Watson. 



Steel Ships and need of Timber, 1913. 



In these days of steel ships, it is apt to be forgotten that timber 

 enters largely into the construction of the vessels at the various 

 shipyards — in blocks for building on, uprights for supporting 

 scaffolding, then in the sparring of holds, decks, furniture, and 

 all internal fitments, amounting in some shipyards to one quarter 

 of a million cubic feet. The average requirement is about 3*35 

 cubic feet of timber per gross ton of shipbuilding. The Clyde 

 output in 1913 was 757,000 tons gross, or 2,535,950 cubic feet 

 was used, and for the United Kingdom over j^ million cubic 

 feet, while the estimated total consumption of timber in the 

 Clyde district for all purposes was over 14-]; million cubic feet. 

 Taking the aj million cubic feet for shipbuilding alone, and 

 allowing fifty years on the average for rotation of cutting, it 

 would require 2 million acres to grow this timber, or for the 

 whole Clyde area requirements iii million acres. 



Before the war Scotland had 879,000 acres of woodlands, or 

 4I per cent, of the total land area. The 1906 Commission 

 recommended 6,000,000, or 31^ per cent., to be planted with 

 trees. From the above it is evident that even if 2 million acres 

 were planted and matured it would only supply the shipbuilding 

 industry of one district, viz. the Clyde. With such enormous 

 requirements, in the nation's interest all that is possible should 

 be done to meet at least part of this demand. 



At present manual instruction is given in 1200 schools; 

 horticulture is taught in 571 schools to some 10,000 pupils. It 

 appears that for the hilly and outlying districts of Inverness, 

 Perth, Argyll, etc., etc., in, say, a total of 500 or 600 schools, 

 tree planting and education in forestry would be most suitable 

 and useful, while making at same time an occupation for the 

 children as they grow older. Ten times more foresters than 

 shepherds are required to a thousand acres. 



