166 



FORESTRY 



Theophrastus 



Excerpts from "Enquiry into plants" 



Reprinted with the permission of Han'ard 

 University Press from Enquiry into plants, 

 Loeb Classical Library, Vol. 1, Trans, by A. F. 

 Hort, 1916. 



OF THE TIMBER OF VARIOUS TREES 

 AND ITS USES 



We must endeavour to speak of 

 timber, saying of what nature is that 

 of each tree, what is the right season 

 for cutting it, which kinds are hard or 

 easy to work, and anything else that be- 

 longs to such an enquiry. 



OF THE SEASONS FOR CUTTING 



Now these are the right seasons for 

 cutting timber: for 'round' timber and 

 that whose bark is to be stripped the 

 time is when the tree is coming into 

 leaf. For then the bark is easily stripped 

 because of the moisture which forms 

 beneath it. At a later time it is hard 

 to strip, and the timber obtained is 

 black and uncomely. However square 

 logs can be cut after the time of peel- 

 ing, since trimming with the axe re- 

 moves its uncomeliness. In general any 



wood is at the best season as to strength 

 when it has not merely ceased coming 

 into leaf, but has even ripened its 

 fruit; however on account of the bark- 

 stripping it comes to pass that 'round' 

 timber is in season when it is cut before 

 it is ripe, so that, as it happens, the 

 seasons are here reversed. 



But since they strip the bark of 

 hardly any trees except silver fir and 

 pine, these trees are cut in the spring, 

 for then is the time of coming into leaf. 

 Other trees are cut sometimes after 

 wheat-harvest, sometimes after the vin- 

 tage, and the rising of Arcturus. The 

 oak is cut latest of all, in earlv winter 

 at the end of autumn. If it is cut at 

 the time of peeling, it rots almost more 

 quickly than at any other time, 

 whether it has the bark on or not. 

 What is cut after the ripening of the 

 fruit remains untouched by worms, 

 even if it has not peeled: however 

 worms get in under the bark and mark 



