52 Dry Rot in Timber. 



•of the disease on the structure, the amenity, and the quality of 

 the atmosphere of the church ; how it was occasioned ; and the 

 beneficial effects following its eradication. The site of the 

 church is an ancient one, going back historically to the twelfth 

 century, and the surrounding cemetery is one of the oldest and 

 most crowded in Scotland. The pre-Reformation Church, partly 

 through injudicious alterations on the structure, became ruinous, 

 and it was superseded in 1745 by the existing building, now of 

 the respectable age of 164 years. Originally, the present church 

 was seated with old-fashioned square pews, but these, in the year 

 1869, were cleared out, and the seating was modernised in the 

 form it is now, a new floor being at the same time put down. In 

 carrying through the work a sufficient air space was provided 

 between the earth, which was dry, and the new floor, and several 

 openings were made in the walls and across the passages and 

 heating ducts to provide through currents of air. Notwith- 

 standing these precautions, within a few years of the accomplish- 

 ment of the work, dry rot attacked the floor, the base of the 

 pulpit and platform, some of the window sills, and other parts; 

 and it became necessary in order to clear the building of the 

 ■disease to remove the new pews, all of them sound, and the 

 floor. The area being laid bare, it was found that the fungus 

 proceeded from the soil, and here, as in the County Buildings, a 

 vigorous growth had sprung up opposite to and within a foot of 

 one of the air gratings. Further examination revealed the fact 

 that the interior of the church had been largely used as a place 

 of sepulture, and to the impurity of the soil the outbreak of dry 

 rot was thought to be due. By way of exterminating the decay 

 and restoring the church, the burials were reverently removed, 

 the earth was covered with a thick bed of concrete, a new floor 

 was then put clown on which the pews, which had been stored, 

 were replaced, and the church was otherwise made complete. 

 Xo recurrence of the disease has taken place; and I may note 

 the beneficial effects of the works just described. Prior to their 

 execution, the atmosphere was musty and disagreeable. In 

 moist weather little globules of water appeared on the walls, and 

 bursting, the water ran down and corduroyed the face of the 

 plaster, which also exhibited roughness of surface, blisters, and 

 discolouration, evils which marred the amenity of the church and 

 proved intractable to any process applied for their obliteration. 



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