2Q4 Practical Forestry 



found in the Transactions of the Highland and Agricultural 

 Society of Scotland for 1873. I examined these woods and 

 was agreeably surprised at the height which the trees had 

 attained, the cubic contents of the timber, and the price 

 realized. Incidentally, it might be noticed that the ground 

 previously to planting was a dreary, heath-clad waste, only 

 suitable for snipe-shooting and the production of turf for 

 fuel. Many other instances of the numerous advantages 

 to be derived from a well-organized system of tree-planting 

 could be cited, not the least important being the greater 

 facilities that would be afforded for disposing of the timber. 

 In many outlying districts all over the country far removed 

 from road and rail, it is difficult to get rid of the small 

 amount of timber that is periodically cut down, but were 

 larger quantities handled and a continuity of supply forth- 

 coming, I feel certain that timber merchants would be 

 prompted to make special transit arrangements. More 

 than once I have been asked by Irish landowners to recom- 

 mend buyers of good larch and oak timber, but, after nego- 

 tiation, I have invariably been told by the merchant that 

 the quantity offered was far too small to allow of special 

 facilities for delivery being provided, since the timber was 

 far away from road and rail. They stated, however, that 

 if a specified number of cubic feet of good timber could be 

 guaranteed annually for a number of years they were quite 

 prepared to buy. The same obstacles to the sale of timber 

 have been experienced in Scotland and remote parts of 

 Wales. In these cases a continuity of supply, such as would 

 be forthcoming if my scheme of afforesting was carried out, 

 would ensure speedy sales at moderate prices in places where 

 at present it is difficult, if not impossible, to dispose of small 

 quantities except at ruinously low prices. 



