Girdlmor Trees. 349 



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Increase of Heartshake. The heartshake is said to be increased by the 

 fall of a dead tree, and by its standing exposed to the wind ; and it is 

 even said that the heartshake is caused by girdling, but it is difficult 

 to draw a sharp line of distinction between what should be called 

 heartshakes and what should be termed central hollows. The central 

 hollows, or cavities, are probably formed at an early age of the tree, 

 and it is not likely that they would increase by the process of girdling. 

 As to Captain Michael's comparison between green and girdled wood, 

 100 trees should have been selected, one half to be girdled and felled 

 after standing two years, the other half to be felled green with those 

 previously girdled. Such an experiment, if repeated for a few years, 

 might lead to a satisfactory solution of the question. 



The wood of the tree is shattered in the fall. We have no data to 

 prove that the wood of girdled trees which have stood two or three 

 years is so brittle as, on that account, to be injured considerably in 

 the fall of the tree. It is probable that this extreme state of brittle- 

 ness does not show itself until the tree has stood many years, or after 

 the wood is perfectly seasoned. 



Risk from damage hj insects. Insects do great damage to girdled 

 trees in certain districts, but teak, when standing girdled, is rarely 

 attacked by them. Sal and other trees are frequently attacked, and 

 sometimes, as Colonel Eamsay remarks, the wood is perforated by 

 them. On this account girdling is not indicated in the case of pines 

 and other trees liable to the attacks of insects, and in the case of sal 

 in those forests only where insects are less destructive. 



Bisk from the decay of wood through girdling. There are man 

 kinds of wood which decay unless converted into scantling, and 

 brought under shelter immediately after felling. Trees of this 

 description should not be girdled for timber. 



Relative value of Malabar and Biirmah teak. Assuming that there 

 really prevails in the Bombay market a considerable difference in the 

 prices of Burmah and Malabar teak, it remains to be proved that this 

 difference is not caused by circumstances quite apart from the mode 

 in which the timber has been seasoned by girdling or otherwise. 



It should now be stated what are supposed to be the main advan- 

 tages of seasoning timber by girdling. 



First, as to transjjort by water. — Girdled timber floats sooner than 

 timber felled green, but this remark does not apply to sal and other 

 heavy woods which do not float even when perfectly dry. 



Second, as to transport by land. — The weight of girdled trees is less 

 than that of trees felled green. Teak, for instance, full of sap, weighs 

 more than 62 lbs. ; if seasoned by girdling, it weighs 50 lbs., and -often 

 less. On a log nieasuring 50 cubic feet, this, therefore, makes a 

 difference of 600 lbs., or one-fifth of the entire weight. 



