66 PLANTATIONS. 



Stapleford, near Newark, and which, some years 

 ago, consisted almost entirely of Scotch fir. It is 

 now of an age and size that enables me to cite it in 

 proof of the opinion which I have given, relative to 

 the prospect for the Skellingthorpe Plantation. The 

 timher has arrived at a good marketable size, and 

 is sold at as high a rate as there is any reason to 

 suppose would he made of the Skellingthorpe 

 Scotch, when it shall have reached to the same 

 size. That price is apparently moderate, but it 

 is so inferior in quality, or, perhaps, it is more 

 correct to say, such a bad opinion is formed of it, 

 by most people, that when it is converted into 

 boards or scantling, the price it fetches is so low 

 as to hold out little inducement to Timber mer- 

 chants to purchase it. And as to the grower, 

 I am persuaded that, if simple interest upon the 

 original investment were to be calculated, up 

 to the time when the wood first began to clear 

 its own expences, and added to the first cost, it 

 would not be found that there is much surplus 

 over the necessary expences of management. At 

 all events it would be seen there, as well as at 

 Skellingthorpe, from the little Larch and Oak 



