418 FAST-GROWN TIMBER IS STRONGEST. 



Steuart's notions on tke quality of timber is, the consideration 

 ' that the strength of work is the decay of trade.' 



" Before concluding my remarks, I beg to state that my 

 observations are the result of thirty years' experience ; during 

 that period I have superintended the management and growth 

 of Oak timber, have purchased no inconsiderable quantity, and 

 have been a good deal engaged in the conversion and application 

 of it for different purposes ; and I can assert, without fear of 

 contradiction from any experienced individual, that the quicker 

 Oak timber is produced, the better the quaUty will be." 

 - The opinion of Thomas Andrew Knight was to the same 

 effect: — That gentleman's answer to the query put by Lord 

 Glenbervie — "Whether Oaks which grow in poor soils, and 

 slowly, are of a firmer nature and more durable timber than 

 when grown in richer land ? " — was as foUows : — " No ; their 

 timber is more porous, lighter, and less dwrahle. The heaviest 

 and best Oaks for all purposes grow in strong, deep, red loams, 

 where the Oak frequently increases annually more than an inch 

 in diameter. A layer of very porous wood marks the commence- 

 ment of each year's growth; and when the growth is small, 

 these porous layers touch each other. The superior value of 

 the English Oali depends on its vigorous and rapid growth, 

 which frequently exceeds that of the Oak imported from the 

 North of Europe in the ratio often to one." 



And finally^ the experiments of Professor Barlow, at 

 Woolwich, quoted by Mr, Withers, all prove exactly the same 

 fact. In one instance, two specimens of Oak were selected; 

 one (No. 1) from a fagt-grown tree, and the other (No. 2) from 

 a slow-growing tree. " The former was grown upon a very 

 strong good soil. Its age was, he supposed, about sixty years, 

 and it contained from thirty-eight to forty cubic feet of timber. 

 The other (No. 3) was about one hundred and twenty years 

 old, and was grown upon a light soil with gravel about two 

 feet below the surface. This tree contained about eighty cubic 

 feet; but my informant considers that if No. 1 had stood 

 to attain the same age as No. 8, it would have made at least 

 forty feet more than that tree." Professor Barlow gave the 

 following as the result of his examination. 



