TASMANIAN TIMBERS. 67 



been before stated, one of the essentials of placing Taa- 

 manian timber on the European market in plank is that it 

 should be well seasoned and properly stacked during tiie 

 seasoning. 



The length of time given above as the practice of air- 

 seasoning in Europe may be shortened to a few months by 

 the use of properly-constructed drying-rooms, in which green 

 timber can be stacked, slatted, weighted, and dried, at a 

 temperature of from 100*^ to 140° Fahrenheit. The room 

 should be so arranged that the atmosphere within it may 

 be kept saturated with moisture, in order that the outer part 

 of the timber shall not dry before the inner; this can be 

 very readily done by the use of. exhaust-steam. Towards 

 the end of the process the moisture should be gradually 

 diminished, and the timber allowed to dry off, and cool 

 slowly. There is little doubt but that excellent results 

 would be obtained at a very moderate cost from this treat>- 

 ment. 



SUNDRY WEICtHTS OF ROUND, SPLIT, AND SAWN 

 TIMBER.— (A. O. Grken.) 



Blue gum Piles at 75 lbs. a cubic foot. 

 Diameter in feet and inches— 1' 0' 1' 4' 1' 8* 2' 0" 2' 6' 3' 0' 4' 0' 

 Weight per foot run of pile 



in pounds Aboutr 59 104 163 236 368 530 942 



Number of running feet to 



a ton About 38 21^ 13f 9^ 6 4^ 2^. 



Stringy-bark piles weigh about 69 lbs. a cubic foot, or say 10 per cent, 

 less than blue-gum. 



Other Tasmanian woods weigh from 55 lbs to 70 lbs. a cubic foot in the 

 log. 



One foot super, or board measure of hardwood fresh cut weighs 5f lbs. 

 to 6 lbs. 



83 cubic feet or 100 feet super of fresh cut stringy-bark weighs about 560 lbs. 

 ai „ 100 .„ dry stringy bark „ 450 lbs. 



SI „ 100 „ imported deal „ 373 lbs. 



THE FOLLOWING QUANTITIES WEfGH ABOUT A TON. 



Timber. 

 Cubic Super, 

 feet. feet. 



33* or 400 of hardwood is usually coiisidered a ton = 68 lbs. a cubic foot. 

 32*6 or 390 of fresh cut stiingy-lbark :^ 68*7 lbs. a cubic foot 



30" or 360 of fresh cut blue gum =74' ,, ,. 



32- or 384 of fresh cut black wood ^7ti- ,, „ 



37 "3 or 448 of fi-esh cut wattle =60* ,, ,, 



50* or 600 of imported pine or deal is usually considered a ton = 45 lbs. 



a cubic foot. 

 66" or 792 of deal dry enough for use is considered by English builder* 



a ton ^ 34 lbs. a cubic foot. 

 60- to 72- or 840-864 of deal thoroughly dry weighs a ton = 30 to 32 lbs. 



a cubic foot. 



