QUALITY OF BRITISH-GROWN CONIFEROUS TIMBERS. 1G7 



any appreciable extent. For purely economic planting I do 

 not consider that the tree will ever be valuable in this 

 country. 



P. insigfnis. Age 38 years; cubic contents 33 feet; 

 soil loamy. Timber clean, close-grained, easily worked, and 

 of fair lasting quality. Not tried out of doors, but indoors 

 it stands well. 



P. LariciO. Nearly all ages up to 71 years; cubic con- 

 tents of largest 57 feet; soil gravelly. Timber of excellent 

 quality, and well suited either for out or indoor work. It 

 is yellowish-white in colour, very resinous, tough and elastic, 

 easy to work, and planes smoothly. 



Eleven years ago I instituted a number of experiments 

 with the wood of the tree cut from a specimen, 18 feet of the 

 butt of which contained 30 feet of timber, some of the planks 

 being 27 inches wide. For fencing-posts, rails, shed-cleading, 

 and such like, the timber was used, and with very promising 

 results. In 1894 ^ examined the timber, and was surprised 

 to find it so sound and well preserved, and in the case of that 

 used indoors it has certainly hardened with age. Unlike the 

 wood of several other species of fir, which get hollowed 

 between the growths, owing to the loss of resin and shrinkage, 

 that of the Corsican pine remains perfectly smooth, the 

 beautiful longitudinal dark yellow resin-containing portions 

 being quite intact after eleven years' wear. The timber does 

 not splinter readily, but wears uniform and well when sub- 

 jected to the almost constant bumping and rough usage con- 

 sequent on railway travelling, as a large box which has been 

 through many parts of England and Scotland since the Edin- 

 burgh Forestry Exhibition bears ample testimony. I consider 

 the timber next to that of the larch for lasting qualities, at least 

 amongst such conifers as have been found of sufificiently rapid 

 growth to warrant their recommendation for forest planting 

 in this country. 



P, LariciO austriaca. Ages ranging from 30 years 

 to 43 years ; cubic contents of largest 37 feet ; soil gravelly. 

 Timber very resinous, rough, owing to the branching stem, 



