REPORT ON THE FORESTRY EXHIBITION, 219 



Minto came a little short of the others in point of quality, and 

 was awarded third prize. 



It is doubtful whether better larch timber has before been 

 exhibited at the Forestry Exhibition, than the plank shown by 

 General Sir Charles Fergusson. The conspicuously high quality 

 of this piece of timber came in for more admiration than perhaps 

 any other plank in the show. Its fine red colour, great depth 

 of heartwood, and absence of all blemish, made it an easy first. 

 The other three planks of larch shown in this competition were 

 also fine timber, the second prize going to Captain William 

 Stewart of Shambellie, and the third prize to the Duke of 

 Buccleuch. 



The competition for specimens of timber of ash {F. excelsior) 

 was less satisfactory In this case there were only two entries, 

 and the timber was not up to the high quality shown in the 

 other classes. The first prize was awarded to the Earl of Minto, 

 and the second prize to the Duke of Buccleuch. 



A most interesting exhibit in timber, and one in which there 

 was keen competition, was that of the oak {Querais robur). If 

 beauty of grain had been the chief consideration it is probable 

 that the premier prize would have been gained by a plank sent 

 by the Duke of Buccleuch, which was awarded third prize, for 

 nothing more beautiful for panelling could be desired. The 

 Judges, however, had given the first place to a plank of harder 

 material with less sapwood, also exhibited by the Duke of 

 Buccleuch. The second prize plank, exhibited by the Earl of 

 Minto, was very nearly equal to the first. 



In the competition for elm timber the first prize went to 

 General Sir Charles Fergusson, and the second to the Earl of 

 Minto. 



In the competition for specimens of timber of any three 

 coniferous trees other than Scots fir, spruce, and larch, planks of 

 Tsuga Albertiana, Abies Nobilis, Finns Laricio, and F. Insignis, 

 and others of the less common timber trees were shown. In the 

 Local Section first prize was awarded to the Earl of Stair for 

 planks of Abies Nobilis, Finns Insignis, and F. Laricio. In these 

 the outstanding feature was size rather than quality. Hitherto 

 these trees have been grown more from a point of view of beauty 

 rather than for their value as timber, yet in their manner of 

 quick growth, and in some cases the superiority of the timber as 

 •compared say with common spruce, they are interesting to 



