70 AKFORKSTATION IX SCOTLAND. 



I. Thk Birch-woods, aggregating over 14,000 acres, bear 

 on the average a crop of about 10 tons of wood per acre, 

 together with half a ton of brooms or twigs not over half an inch 

 in diameter, as used for burning to remove the surface-scale 

 from steel plates in foundries ; for it has been found that, on 

 the average, trees yielding i ton of wood give i cwt. of twigs 

 The BRoo.Ms, which must not exceed half an inch in diameter at 

 thick end, are made up in small bundles girthing up to 15 

 inches at the tying-place, and cost from 15s. to i6s. a ton to 

 put on the railway, including a cartage of about 4 miles, 

 costing 4s. a ton, or is. per ton per mile. Railway transport to 

 the steel-works costs per ton iis. 8d. from Gairlochy station to 

 any station in the Glasgow area, and 12s. from Fort Augustus; 

 and I2S. 8d. and 13s., respectively, to any station in the 

 Edinburgh area. The broom-making season extends from 

 October till April : and at Taynuilt (Loch Etive district, 

 Argyllshire) broom-cutters are said to be able to earn up to 

 p^3 a week during the 7-months' season. Throughout the Lome 

 district of Argyllshire the wages at present paid to the broom- 

 workers for cutting and tying in bundles of 20 inches to 24 

 inches by 14 inches girth is 4d. per dozen bundles.^ 



Of the Birch trees yielding on the average 10 tons per 

 acre, from 5 to 10 trees give i ton of wood, about 55 cubic 

 feet going to i ton weight, or averaging about 41 lbs. per 

 cubic foot. One man can cut and sued 3 tons a day, costing 

 about IS. 3d. a ton, and thus earn about 3s. gd. per diem ; 

 while if the trees are barked, the piecework is paid at 9d. 

 extra, or 2s. per ton. The cost of dragging and carting is 

 found to come to about 3s. per ton for the first mile, and 6d. 

 per ton for each additional mile beyond the first. The market 

 already established, on a small scale, for birch is for bobbin- 

 wood in Dundee, all sizes being taken from 4 inches in top- 

 diameter upwards. Freight by steamer from Loch Lochy to the 

 east coast of Fife, including dues, is ;^35 for a i lo-ton steamer 

 carrying from So to 85 tons of wood ; but a returning coal- 

 steamer can sometimes be hired for less. For shipment to 

 Cilasgow the rate is 8s. a ton. inclusive of dues. From the Inver- 

 garry estate about 400 tons of birch were sold as bobbin-wood 

 to Messrs J. cS: P. Coats, Paisley, in 1909-10, the wood being 



' Birch t\vi[;s for smelling [Hirposcs nie takc-n \>y certnin liini> ;U all times 

 of I he year. 



