266 Double Cross-Grain 



the inclination of the grain were due to changes in the orientation of 

 the cambial cells and that the fibres elongated in the direction in which 

 t hey were laid down when cut oft' from the cambial cells and that it was 

 not exigencies of spaces that caused their deviation from the straight. 



Table VIII. Chloroxylon Swietenia. Variation in the mean fibre 

 length with inclination of the grain. 



Table IX. Calophyllum sp. Variation in the mean fibre length. 



Ring and direction of 



inclination of grain (w+3)th\ (n + l0)thv (n + 17)th/ (w + 25)thi; (n+34)th\ (» + 37)thi> 

 Basis (number of 



fibres measured) 100 100 100 100 100 100 



Mean fibre length in 



mms. 1-160 1-080 1-160 1-020 1-140 1-110 



Max. fibre length 



in mms. 1-710 1-460 1-660 1-450 1-610 1-800 



Min. fibre length 



in mms. -780 -760 -810 -680 -840 -790 



With regard to its commercial aspect the economic value of a study 

 of cross-grain lies in its application in the practice of seasoning wood. 

 The main problems in the seasoning of wood centre round the differences 

 in the rate of loss of moisture and in shrinkage during drying in radial, 

 tangential and longitudinal directions, hence knowledge of the degree 

 of cross-grain shown by different woods is essential if the economic mean 

 between care expended and time involved is to be gauged. 



