AGRICULTURAL BOTANY. 267 



vailing error, by acting on the supposition that yellow pine timber required a great amount 

 of seasoning. The consequence has been, that large timber-houses have been erected and 

 filled with yellow pine timber, and kept for many years, and when in a state of decay have 

 been used both for new vessels and those undergoing repairs. This is a great mistake ; an 

 equal number of months would have answered a better purpose than as many years, as it 

 regards the shrinkage of yellow pine. When in pieces of any considerable size, it shrinks 

 but little when the vessel is in active service ; and when used as deck-plank, should be made 

 narrow. The convictions of our judgment lead us to this conclusion, that yellow pine 

 requires no seasoning to make it durable. The ebb and flow of the turpentine is through 

 the sap, as the specific gravity will show ; hence we say that the capillary tubes of the heart 

 would have no more of the resinous property, if cut at the proper season, than is required 

 for strength and to render it durable. There is another error in that of preparing yellow 

 pine timber in the woods, both for private and for naval purposes ; it being absolutely neces- 

 sary that the sap should be excluded. The timber should be eight instead of four-square, 

 thus in effect only taking off the sap, on account of the very best of the timber being next 

 to the sap ; this would enable the builder to work out water-ways and all similar pieces 

 without cutting in as far as the pith on the exposed side of the piece. The present manner 

 of cutting yellow pine timber is a reckless waste, the very best parts of the tree being left 

 in the woods. 



Inspectors measure square logs clear of sap, and the consequence is, that a very small 

 three-cornered strip or vane of sap is left on the corners ; whereas, if at the centre of the 

 length of the log the sap were removed, and the log were measured as in other girth mea- 

 surements, the most valuable parts would be brought as timber into the private and public 

 yards ; and although it would be somewhat awkward at first to receive timber in this manner, 

 being accustomed to the square log, yet the price per cubic foot would actually be less, and 

 the timber-getter would save in labor what he paid in extra hauling and freight ; and not 

 only so, but he would get paid for all the timber he bought. The government would save 

 thousands of dollars, besides having better pine timber, were the Navy Department to have 

 yellow pine forests at their command rather than timber-sheds stored with pine timber, 

 besides retaining the life of the timber by not having the turpentine drawn from the tree 

 before it is worked into timber, as we have already remarked. The most dense timber is 

 not the best or most durable, because of the amount of turpentine it contains ; it is often 

 rendered so near the butt, in consequence of the tree having been tapped while standing, in 

 order to draw off the turpentine. We would prefer the quality of pine we have alluded to 

 in its pristine state, without seasoning, for durability, provided it were properly ventilated 

 when in the ship. With regard to the density of white oak, it may with strong propriety be 

 assumed that the quality is in the same ratio as the density ; but we shall discover that the 

 tables of specific gravity do not furnish an index for determining the best quality, inasmuch 

 as they show the squared white oak timber, cut in December and May, to be the heaviest 

 when cut, while at the same time that which was cut in January and July was of the best or 

 better quality. In order to detect this supposed discrepancy, let us follow the subject far- 

 ther : the timber in bark will show that our first conclusions were correct, inasmuch as the 

 timber cut in July is of the greatest density, and that cut in January differs but a trifle from 

 that cut in December ; hence, we are inevitably brought to the threshold of this conclusion, 

 that no table of specific gravity for white oak timber is reliable for determining the quality, 

 unless its weight can be shown in the bark. The reason of this discrepancy between round 

 and square timber in its density is found in the fact that the texture of the grain of some 

 trees is better adapted for receiving the juices than others throughout the entire transverse 

 section, while others receive the supply chiefly through the sap. This latter kind is the best 

 quality, and, as a consequence, is likely to prove the most durable, as well as being the 

 strongest. There may, however, be exceptions even to this as a general rule. With regard 

 to the specific gravity of the live oak, as shown by the tables, we clearly discover that the 

 sap-wood is lighter than the heart, inasmuch as the bark being thin, could scarcely reduce 

 the weight as much as shown by the tables. The tables will not warrant this conclusion of 

 white oak, inasmuch as we find that which was cut in March was heavier in bark than when 



