Current Literature. 255 



more openly or more closely, according as local climatic and other 

 conditions are found to require. . . . 



"The extreme rapidity with which saturated wood loses mois- 

 ture when exposed to dr}'ing conditions is doubtless responsible 

 for the belief that the seasoning of timber may be facilitated by 

 soaking it in water. In the tests to determine the etfect of this 

 process, timbers which had been soaked for short periods, upon 

 removal from the water, lost the extra moisture so fast that they 

 soon reached practically the same condition as similar timbers 

 not immersed. Whether the soaked timber ultimately reaches a 

 lower moisture content is still open to question." S. J. R. 



Tests of Wooden Barrels. By J. A. Xewlin. Bulletin 86, U. S. 

 Department of Agriculture. Washington, D. C. 1914. Pp. 12. 



This paper describes tests made at the Forest Products Labora- 

 tory in co-operation with the Bureau for the Safe Transportation 

 of Dangerous Explosives, the purpose being to obtain data upon 

 which specifications and changes in the design of wooden barrels 

 used in the transportation of dangerous liquids might be based. 

 The tests do not afford comparisons between barrels made of dif- 

 ferent material or of different kinds of timber. 



The barrels which were made of quarter-sawed white oak, were 

 completely filled with water, closed and tested. Two barrels of 

 each group v/ere tested in side compression, two in diagonal com- 

 pression, one each in side and diagonal 'drop, and two by internal 

 pressure. 



The tests indicated that the chimes should not be less than one 

 inch long ; that the spacing between the bilge hoops should not be 

 less than eight inches ; that the weakest part of the barrels was the 

 heads which should be much thicker than the staves; that the 

 dowel holes weakened the heads materially, making desirable 

 some improvement of the head joints ; that it is advisable to grade 

 the staves and heading with reference to the strength. 



S. J. R. 



