194 TRANSACTIONS OF ROVAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



that for structural work the lasting qualities were proved to be 

 very great, that Scots pine compares extremely well with Baltic 

 timber for joisting, etc., and that in many other departments its 

 well-known qualities have been tested. He took up the point 

 made by Mr Chrystal that Norway pine is more lasting than 

 Scots pine, and disputed Mr Chrystal's contention. In support 

 of the view held by himself he stated that Scots pine contained 

 more resin, which is, in itself, a natural preservative, and that 

 the conditions of soil and climate under which Scots pine is 

 grown here, are equal to those under which the same tree is grown 

 in Norway. He thought that future tests would show that Scots 

 pine grown in Scotland is equal to, if not better than, that grown 

 in Norway, and that experience already gained had shown the 

 former to be extremely durable. He was quite sure that for 

 sleepers Scots pine ought to do as well as imported timber. 

 He informed the meeting that Prof. Myer, who had wide 

 experience of continental forests, expressed the opinion that 

 the Scots pine which he saw in Scotland was the finest he knew 

 in Europe. 



Mr Speirs, who has had considerable experience in the west 

 coast, spoke with regard to supplies in that district, and stated 

 that it was found to be extremely difficult to compete with the 

 foreign timber merchant owing to the low rate paid for the home 

 sleeper. He thought this was a pity seeing there was so much 

 available timber being lost to the markets. He had carried out 

 tests and found that home-grown sleepers would last longer than 

 Baltic ones, and this was accounted for by the fact that Baltic 

 trees were grown cleaner than ours and therefore they could go 

 longer up the stem with their cuts. He maintained that it was 

 only the question of cost which prevented a large quantity of 

 timber being made available for the market from the west coast, 

 and that an increase in the price would do away with this 

 scarcity to some extent. 



Mr M'CosH of the North British Railway Company said that 

 to him it appeared as if the question was one of getting the 

 timber to the market at a price, and he mentioned the difficulties 

 there were in getting supplies from the home timber sellers. 

 It seemed to him that if it could be arranged to supply big 

 quantities of home-grown timber, there would be no difficulty in 

 disposing of it at a good price and in competing on absolutely 

 equal terms with the foreign sleeper. He said that if the foreign 



