spruce Timber. 105 



One instance more, and I shall have done. Some years ago I had 

 to remodel the water-troughs of a saw and thrashinsj mill which was 

 erected in 1838. The greater part of the timber employed in the 

 erection was spruce fir. The upright pillars and cross-beams were of 

 larch, while the planking and longitudinal beams were of spruce. 

 The larch pillars were almost completely decayed, except small 

 pieces of heartwood occasionally met with ; the cross-beams were of 

 larger timber, and contained more heartwood, and in consequence 

 were in a better state of preservation. The spruce beams, however, 

 were sound, except at the joinings, which seemed to have been made 

 without any proper preparation. These pieces I had cut off, and re- 

 erected them on new pillars, where I expect them to last twenty 

 years yet. I could give many more instances of the durability of 

 spruce timber, but those quoted will suffice. 



Vol. I. 



