Current Literature. 549 



interest among the fieldmen to observe and supply this detail in- 

 formation, it will have served a good purpose. 



B. E. F. 



The Strength of Long-Seasoned Douglas Fir and Redwood. 

 By A. C. Alvarez. Bulletin II, Department of Civil Engineering, 

 University of California. Berkeley, Cal. 1913. Pp- 17, ill- 



"The specimens for these tests were selected from the wall 

 studding, floor joists, and underpinning of a one-story frame 

 building erected on the University of California campus in 1874, 

 and demolished in 191 1, making the age of test specimens 37 

 years. The wall studding and floor joists were of 2x4 inch 

 and 2x8 inch Douglas fir respectively, the underpinning of 3x4 

 inch and 4x4 inch redwood. All the Douglas fir could be classed 

 as of No. I grade. All knots were sound ; few knots were 

 larger than one inch. The redwood specimens were of similar 

 grade. The smaller pieces of Douglas fir cut for compression 

 and shear tests were clear timber. There was not the slightest 

 indication of decay on any of the material. Age had merely 

 darkened its surface slightly. 



"The conditions to which all the material was exposed in ser- 

 vice are described as follows : The floor level of the building was 

 about three feet above ground surface. Air could circulate under 

 the floor through occasional latticed ventilators placed on all sides 

 under the water table. The interior finish was of lime plaster 

 on wooden lath ; the exterior was painted redwood channel rus- 

 tic. The building was freely exposed on all sides to light and 

 air. For a period of about four months in the year the ground 

 surface in the vicinity of the building in question was usually 

 very damp, a condition favorable for the decay of the fir floor 

 joists, which were only two feet above ground. Clearly, here, 

 ventilation prevented decay. The weight of the timber as tested 

 clearly shows the extent to which air seasoning took place under 

 these conditions. 



"Bending, longitudinal compression and longitudinal shear 

 tests were made on Douglas fir. The material available allowed 

 of only longitudinal compression tests of redwood. 



"The number of tests made was not large enough to justify 

 any sweeping conclusions. However, a large number of tests 



