PRICES OF HOME-GROWN TIMBER
These vary so much in different parts of the country that it is
almost impossible to give a list that would apply generally to the
British Isles. Local demand and the situation of the plantations where
the timber is to be sold have to be considered, while the quantity
available and quality of the particular timber are also important
factors in determining the price.
In many instances woods and plantations are far removed from road and
rail, consequently the cost of delivering to the consuming centre
is proportionately high, while in the vicinity of coal mines or
manufacturing towns almost every class of timber will find a ready and
profitable market. Then the quality of the timber (its reputation, we
might almost say) is a powerful factor in assessing its value, as will
be seen in the case of oak produced in Surrey and Sussex, or beech from
the chalky districts of Kent and Hertfordshire. No timber merchant
thinks twice as to whether he should, on account of quality, purchase
oaks at Rockingham, Ashridge, Welbeck or other well-known centres, and
so it is with the beech timber on the Chiltern Hills, at the Chenies,
in Hertfordshire, or with Scotch pine from the famous Aberdeenshire
plantations.
But there is another factor that frequently affects the price of good
timber, and that is, that in inaccessible positions the quantity
offered is too small. This has been the case with excellent larch
timber in Ireland, where the quantity offered was not sufficient to
induce the timber merchant to lay down plant and arrange for delivery
to the nearest railway or port. There are other causes of a minor
nature that greatly affect the price of home-grown timber, and it is
a curious fact that in adjoining counties, sometimes even in the same
county, the prices of various timbers vary several pence per cubic
foot. With all woodland products the same is the case, and locality
and local demand determine the price of faggots, firewood and other
commodities.
Previous to the war, the following were the average prices of
home-grown timber, felled and lying in the wood; also of other woodland
produce. The prices at present are generally much higher.
_s._ _d._ _s._ _d._
Ash from 1 6 to 2 6 per cubic foot.
Alder ” 0 7 ” 0 10 ” ”
Beech ” 0 10 ” 1 4 ” ”
Birch ” 0 7 ” 0 10 ” ”
Chestnut (Spanish) ” 1 3 ” 1 6 ” ”
” (Horse) ” 0 8 —— ” ”
Cherry ” 0 9 ” 1 2 ” ”
Elm ” 0 7 ” 1 6 ” ”
Larch ” 0 10 ” 1 4 ” ”
Lime ” 0 10 ” 1 6 ” ”
Oak ” 1 3 ” 2 6 ” ”
Oak, brown ” 3 6 ” 10 6 ” ”
(but these trees are usually sold at so much for each)
Poplar from 0 9 to 1 6 per cubic foot.
Scotch Pine ” 0 5 ” 0 10 ” ”
Spruce Fir ” 0 5 ” 0 9 ” ”
Willow ” 1 6 ” 10 6 ” ”
Walnut ” 1 0 ” 2 6 ” ”
Sycamore ” 1 3 ” 2 6 ” ”
Firewood ” 5 0 per cart load.
” ” 12 0 to 16 0 per cord.
Faggots (large) ” 14 0 ” 21 0 ” 100.
” (small) ” 2 6 per 100.
Oak bark ” 52 0 ” ton.
Charcoal ” 1 0 ” bushel.
Since the war commenced several kinds of timber have increased greatly
in value, notably ash, poplar, Scotch pine and spruce fir. For the
latter as much as 1_s._ 4_d._ per cubic foot was obtained in Bucks,
while in several cases first-class ash timber realized upwards of 4_s._
per cubic foot.
Pitwood, also, has increased in price.
PRICES OF TIMBER PER TON WEIGHT
In several parts of the country, particularly Ireland, timber is
regularly sold by weight and the following prices were realized
previous to the war:—
_s._ _d._ _s._ _d._
Ash and sycamore —— 18 0 per ton.
Beech 5 0 to 10 0 ”
Larch 12 0 ” 20 0 ”
Scotch pine, spruce and silver fir —— 8 0 ”
Spruce 8 0 ” 10 0 ”
Oak —— 15 0 ”
Elm and beech —— 10 0 ”
Hardwoods of pitwood size —— 6 0 ”
Larch poles and pitwood (Wales) 9 0 ” 10 0 ”
That the heavy importation of foreign woods has had a prejudicial
influence on the value of home-grown timbers is realized by all those
who are engaged in the trade. The depreciation in price has, however,
been so gradual that it is difficult to realize this unless by
comparing the prices of to-day with those of, say, a hundred years ago.
Several of these comparisons clearly indicate that oak, at least, has
become much reduced in value, less so ash and elm, and the following
list of prices obtained in 1807 for timber on two estates in Hants will
serve to show that for trees of equal size the price to-day is far
behind that of a century ago.
_s._ _d._
Oak averaging 9 cubic feet 4 0 per foot.
Ash ” 7 ” 2 3 ”
Elm ” 22 ” 1 9 ”
Beech ” 14 ” 1 6 ”
Sycamore ” 19 ” 1 3 ”
Fir ” 11 ” 1 3 ”
On another estate trees of about the same size brought: oak, 4_s._;
ash, 1_s._ 6_d._; elm, etc., 1_s._; beech, 1_s._; and firs, 1_s._
per cubic foot. When the small size of the individual trees is taken
into account, and even admitting that only the best portion of each
trunk was measured, the prices, as compared with those of to-day, are
exceedingly high, particularly for oak, ash and fir.