292 SALE AND TRANSPORT OF PRODUCE 



estates, where a considerable amount of timber of good 

 quality is annually put on the market, this chance of a 

 failure to obtain a fair price is not much to be feared ; for, 

 it would not be a sound policy on the part of the merchants 

 to attempt to " squeeze " the owner of the timber. Such a 

 policy might be described as an attempt to " kill the goose 

 that lays the golden egg." However, the owner of an estate 

 where timber is put on the market intermittently, is not in 

 such a favourable position ; and, it will generally be best for 

 him to sell the timber standing ; and, if he cannot obtain his 

 price, he can wait for another year ; for, in as much as he will 

 not have any methodical plan of fellings, this will not matter, 

 unless indeed he requires the money. 



So also, hedgerow timber may often, with advantage, be 

 sold standing, as it will seldom form part of any methodical 

 plan of fellings, and will not therefore interfere with any 

 general plan of management ; but, as already stated, a 

 maximum price must not necessarily be expected. 



Then again, those timber trees which must be quickly 

 removed from the woods after being felled, may, with 

 advantage, be sold standing. Such trees include Ash, Beech, 

 and Sycamore, whose colour deteriorates if left lying in the 

 woods. The sale of timber while standing may also be 

 practised in the case of crops which are clear cut when young ; 

 as, for instance, 4O-year-old coniferous crops fit for pit props. 

 In such a case, there is not the same likelihood of the timber 

 of young crops deceiving a purchaser as is the case with more 

 mature timber. 



In all cases, however, when timber is sold standing, a few 

 sample trees should always be felled by the home staff so 

 that the timber merchants may have a criterion upon which 

 to base their estimates. 



Such a method will eliminate much of the uncertainty 

 that attends the purchase of standing timber, and will often 

 render it advisable to sell standing when otherwise such 

 a method would not be admissible. It is often urged that 

 timber should be sold standing, as the buyer then fells it ; 

 and that the men whom he employs are more used to felling 



