34 TREES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



The same writer says,* that maple wood felled in June is 

 liable to white rot, while that felled in September remains 

 sound in the same situation ; and that timber felled in Septem- 

 ber will not suffer from red rot or from powder-post. It seems 

 reasonable, that a tree felled after the growth for the year is 

 completed, and before the leaves have fallen, should have all its 

 wood more mature, and should, at the same time, be prepared to 

 be more easily and thoroughly seasoned, than if felled at any 

 other season. The evaporation which takes place from the sur- 

 face of living leaves is very great. If, therefore, the tree is 

 felled while the leaves are fresh, their evaporative action, which 

 continues for some time after the tree has fallen, will speedily 

 dissipate all the unappropriated moisture which the trunk con- 

 tains. If, on the contrary, the tree is felled after the leaves 

 have been shed, all this moisture must remain to be slowly 

 thrown off by the usual process of drying. If, again, the tree 

 is felled earlier in the season, while full of sap, and when the 

 newly formed wood has not yet been ripened by the action of 

 the sim, there must be much of crude and acrid juices, not 

 easily to be got rid of, and many particles of immature wood, 

 at least in the outer layer, which will render the process of 

 seasoning slower and more uncertain. 



There is much evidence to be found in books and in the expe- 

 rience of ship-builders, that sticks of timber cut in the end of sum- 

 mer, and seasoned only by this speedy action of the leaves, often 

 out-last winter-cut timber, which has had years of seasoning. 



The naturalist, Buffon, after numerous experiments carefully 

 made on a large scale, and continued through many years, ar- 



* Ibid, VI., 394. He subjoins a table of the comparative value of timber felled 



at the two seasons of the year mentioned, which he thinks correct or nearly so : — 



Oak, cut in September, 10.0 — in June, 4.5 



Maple. " " " 10.0—" " 2.4 



Walnut, (Hickory), " " " 10.0—" " 2.5 



Elm, " " " 10.0—" " 1.6 



Ash, " " " 10.0—" " 3.2 



The four last, compared with white oak, provided all were felled in September 



will stand thus : — 



Oak, 10.0— Maple, 5.5— Walnut, 6.2— Elm, 4.5— Ash, 5.6. 



