90 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the matter of wooden poles amount to many thousands ; but 

 the yield from British sources has been a few hundreds only. 

 So meagre a response to a constant and increasing demand can 

 only be regarded with the keenest disapppointment and regret, 

 and to secure a larger measure of success for and from British 

 growers, no effort will be spared by the Post Office. 



" The principal places where delivery is required are London, 

 Hull, the Tyne District, Methil (Fife), Ardrossan, Ellesmere Port, 

 Newport (Mon.), Southampton and Belfast. 



" In the opinion of the Department's expert officers two 

 descriptions of timber stand out before all others as most suitable 

 for the purpose in question, in respect both of weather-resisting 

 properties and general shapeliness, viz., Finus silvestris, commonly 

 known as red fir or Scots pine, and Larix europaa or larch. 



"Both of these species are easily and commonly grown in the 

 United Kingdom, but failure to meet the requirement of length 

 and thickness combined have led to the rejection of much of the 

 British timber offered to the Post Office by growers, whose 

 supplies the Postmaster-General would otherwise have been only 

 too glad to accept at fair prices. 



"The specification includes 21 lengths ranging from 16 to 

 85 feet, and provides for a minimum diameter at the top of the 

 pole ranging from 5 inches in the case of the lightest to 8 inches 

 in the case of the heaviest. 



"In view of the Department's very large needs for wooden 

 poles, it is to be hoped that home growers and merchants may 

 yet make fresh or renewed efforts to compete for a share of the 

 business; and to this end Mr Hobhouse suggests that anyone 

 desirous of further information on the subject should address 

 an inquiry to the Controller, Post Office Stores Department, 

 17-19 Bedford Street, Strand, London, who will gladly afford all 

 information in his power. 



" I am, Sir, 



" Your obedient Servant, 



" H. C. Guest.' 



The above letter was submitted to the Council of the Society, 

 and the Secretary was instructed to write to the Controller 

 pointing out that the conditions of contract, as set forth in the 

 tender form (No. 264), for the supply of telegraph poles 

 (home-grown) was such that most proprietors of suitable timber 



