MARKET-VALUE OF TIMBER. 279 



fers are all largely used, the most resinous being the best. Our pit-mines 

 are at present mainly dependent on foreign supplies, and large quantities 

 of Maritime Pine are imported from Bordeaux. 



All the Conifers can be used for pit-props down to 2 in. top-diameter, 

 and there is a great and constant demand for pitwood, as it lasts only 

 about 5 years on the average. 



Railway Sleepers. Oak and Larch are the most durable, but even these 

 are now generally impregnated ; in France impregnated Beech is very 

 largely used. 



Telegraph and Telephone Posts. Larch and Scots Pine mostly used, as 

 Scots Pine takes creosote well ; Spruce is less used as not taking creosote 

 well, though absorbing readily under the saccharine process (see p. 307). 



Scaffolding, &c. Larch, Pine, Spruce, and Silver Fir mostly used, but 

 chiefly imported wood. 



Furniture and Cabinet- Making. Most of our hardwoods of large size. 

 Beech (steamed), Oak, Ash, Elm, Sycamore, Birch. 



Coach-building and Agricultural Implements, Waggons, <c. Ash, Oak, 

 and Elm chiefly, with softwoods for waggon-bottoms and sides. 



Cask- and Barrel-makers use mostly Oak, Chestnut, Birch, Elm, and 

 Pine, with Hazel, Chestnut, Birch, and Willow as withes for cheap barrels. 



Clog-makers use mostly Alder and Birch, also Willow and Poplar. 



Estate Work. Chiefly Larch, Oak, and Ash of a small size, though 

 softwoods are also very useful for fencing, &c., if creosoted or naphtha- 

 lined. 



The Market -Value of British Timber varies greatly in 

 different localities, and its value in the woods depends on its 

 distance from the sawmill or from the place where it is to be 

 used. Its value in the woods may be estimated by deducting 

 from its market- value at the place of sale (1) the cost of 

 transport, and (2) about 15 to 20 per cent for the timber- 

 merchants' profit \ and of course this shows the importance of 

 having easy lines of transport, and good roads or cheap tram- 

 ways for extracting large quantities of timber. 



On a rough average present prices mostly vary within the following 

 limits per cubic foot, according to the quality and size of the timber : 

 Oak, Is. 3d. to 2s. 6d. ; Ash, Is. to 2s. ; Elm, Beech, Chestnut, Sycamore, 

 Maple, 9d. to Is. 6d. ; Willow, Lime, Birch, Poplar, Horse-Chestnut, lOd. 

 to Is. 3d. ; Larch, 9d. to Is. 2d. ; Scots Pine, 6d. to 9d. ; Spruce and 

 Silver Fir, 4d. to 6d. But please note remarks on pp. 90, 91. 



