NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES 175 



supplies available so comparatively small, that there 

 is no need to worry on that score. The important 

 point is to get rid of our own inferior material, whilst 

 at the same time giving a much desired support to the 

 market, before more distant fields step in and once 

 again cut out the home-grown. Incidentally the cause 

 of scientific forestry in this country has all to gain by 

 such action. How is this unique opportunity to be 

 taken full advantage of ? 



It has been shown that all the imported conifers of 

 divisions i and 2 can be grown in this country. The 

 chief are Scots pine, spruce, larch, and fir. The first 

 two are the pit-prop woods (In France and South 

 Europe the Maritime pine is used.) Considerable 

 tracts of Scots pine exist in this country. Of spruce, 

 the available supply is, unfortunately, very small 

 owing to the extraordinary neglect which this species 

 has received at the hands of planters up to compara- 

 tively recent years. Larch for colliery purposes is 

 only used in the main galleries owing to its greater 

 cost. We have little fir growing, save as ornamental 

 trees in policies and parks, and so on. With a heavy 

 demand and restricted supply, however, we can 

 reckon on colliery proprietors being prepared to take 

 anything which will serve as a pit prop, provided it 

 has fair straightness, the necessary strength, and is 

 of the requisite size. There are plenty of scrub areas 

 of oak and other species in the country, in parts of 

 Scotland especially, grown up from the old oak coppice, 

 which will furnish material of pitwood size. Such 

 areas before the war were worthless, and in many 

 cases would not, or scarcely, cover the cost of felling 



