2 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORlCLl.TLRAl. SOCIETY. 



The average diameter will thus be about 3^ inches to 4 inches, 

 representing say 22,000,000 or 23,000,000 cubic feet of pitwood 

 timber annually consumed by the collieries of Scotland. 



The foreign supply is estimated to represent about 90 per cent, 

 of the total consumption. A fairly large amount of pitwood 

 is exported from Bordeaux, and a smaller quantity from Portugal. 

 Practically the whole of these supplies are absorbed by the 

 South Wales coal-fields. The main sources of pitwood produc- 

 tion for the coal-mines of the Midland.s, the North of England, 

 and Scotland are found in the Baltic, more especially in Finland 

 and Russia. This pitwood is almost wholly peeled Scots pine. 

 The Baltic ports from which this pitwood is exported are 

 nearly all liable to be closed by ice in winter. In consequence 

 the whole year's export is usually overtaken between May and 

 October. 



The outbreak of war early in August thus placed the coal- 

 owners in a serious position. Only a portion of the year's 

 supply of pitwood had been delivered, and owing to the closing 

 of the Baltic it was obviously impossible that, even under the 

 most favourable circumstances, further supplies could come to 

 hand before June 19x5. Meanwhile the stocks in Scotland were 

 not estimated to last longer than the end of the current year. 



The Forestry Branch of the Board of Agriculture for Scotland 

 showed itself fully alive to the urgency of the matter, and 

 convened a preliminary conference on 27th August 1914- A 

 second conference was held about one week later, and this 

 resulted in the appointment of two Committees to investigate 

 (i) supplies of suitable timber and labour, and (2) specification 

 and prices. These Committees went fully into the whole 

 question, and obtained a large amount of information upon 

 the pitwood trade. The incidence of the railway rates upon 

 pitwood prices was seen to have such an important bearing, 

 that the matter was brought to the attention of the Secretary 

 for Scodand and the President of the Board of Trade. Mr 

 Runciman consented to receive a deputation of those interested, 

 and the interview took place at the Board of Trade on 22nd 

 October 1914. An official report regarding the various meetings 

 may possibly be issued, and it is not proposed now to refer 

 further to what has passed at these meetings. The Royal 

 Scottish Arboricultural Society, the Landowners' Co-operative 

 Forestry Society, The Home Timber Merchants' Association 

 of Scotland, and the Coal-Owners' Association of Scotland were 

 all represented at the various meetings held. 



