SS2 Mr, Randall on the Cause and Prevention of the Dry Rot. [Dec. 1, 



pens lliiit the alni()s])lieiic air chii lie Rcfcriiiifc to the pile of woo<l iu 

 adiuilted to act ii]ioiioveiv interior part whic^li the oxperimcnt was made witU 

 oftiicir detail, so as to keep it hclow the tiiernionieter, I pursued some other 

 and uhovc the re(iiiisi(e temperatures, experiments, the result of which was, to 

 The fircat feature of our hahils is com- ascertain if wood, previously jirepartd 

 fort; our houses are more so than tho^c hy a chemical process, would jirevent 

 of any otlicr country, tirst made ncces- ils surface from hecominjf ^uidnsUn- the 

 sary hy a variable climate, and perse- funjji. The opportunity was highly fa- 

 ■vered in, at the present day, to a height vourablo, inas)uuch as that the plant had 

 of fastidious luxury. protruded itself over all the pieces of 



It follows, that to attempt to prevent wood, and they were decaying away 'n\ 

 dry-rot by making your Iionse like to a proportion to its growth. It occurred 

 varandtth, (which must be the case, if to me, that if ditferent pieces of wood, 

 air alone is to cure it,) yon must wait of (he several kinds used in building, 

 till our planet has varied its latitude; and prejiared by different processes, to- 

 till England becomes a Continent grow- gether w ith some without any particular 

 iug vines and olives. Wc may then preparation, were introduced into th« 

 perhaps l)ask in the sun-shine of per- most favourable part of this pile of dry- 

 pctual spring, sleei) in catacombs made rot fungi, whether it would not result — 

 upon the roofs of our dwellings, and Iiovv long it was necessary to effect a de- 

 tanquet in saloons trclliagcd, resembling composition on vvood by this vegetation; 

 a varandah. Until then, which is not and also if wood, submitted to certain 

 very likely to take place in our time, jirocesses, might not prevent it altoge- 

 nngcnnity and industry may be usefully ther vegetating on it; hence my plan iu 

 employed iu seeking means adequate to this experiment consisted in oxydating 

 retail) the wonted comforts in our ha- several pieces of wood, some of which 

 ttitalions, without being exposed to the were done with lire, and ol]iers with tiie 

 cold of winter at one time, or scorched mineral acids; after which the wholw 

 with heat of summer at another. For, was washed or painted over with the so- 

 jf the thermometer be to be trusted, as lution of the sulphate of iron. I'liess 

 •we are placed at present, we must lower jiftrtions of wood so prepared, together 

 or raise the temjierature to prevent with others without any previous prepa- 

 I'nngus rot. In pursuance of this jirin- ration, were all placed in the most fa- 

 ciple, hot air has been suggested, and vourable ))arts of the pile of dry-rot fun- 

 some of our ships have been furnished gi. During the first twenty days no 

 with a furnace, and pipes for the pur- jiartieular change was visible in either 

 pose of conducting it to the framo-v\()rk of the pieces so placed : on examining 

 most likely to form the yiidus for the the thermometer, it had sunk to 53°. In 

 fungus plant. eleven days more, on removing one of 



But no good, as far as lam acquaint- the unprepared portions, a whitish 

 ed, lias resulted from the experiment ; mould was seen to be forming between 

 4here is greatly too much uncertainly in the lamellae of the wood; but not th« 

 such ojjerations: it would involve much least alteration was perceptible in th» 

 observation with intricate mathematical other pieces, although surrounded by 

 calculation, to apportion the heat sufll- wood covered with, and producing, fun- 

 cient to evaporate the oozinj drips in gi. In sixty days tho pieces of wood, 

 the workings of a large ship at sea, and, and all that was near them, excepting 

 at the same time, raise the temperature those previously prepared, were entirely 

 in her, above the degree in which the destroyed, exhibiting similar a])pear- 

 putrefactive fermenlatiou terminates in anees to those detailed iu my former 

 dryness. It is almost obvious that this letters on this phenomenon, 

 must be effected before the required On these facts, and my subsequent 

 result can take place: b'lt, if the heat experience, are founded the principal of 

 furnished should be only sufficient to my claims to preventing and curing dry- 

 raise the temperature to somewhere be- rot in buildings. 



tween the degrees of 45° and 57°, it In my following communications on 

 •would stimulate, rather than prevent, a this subject, I intend ofl'ering two or 

 fermentation; and this appears, by the three other cases of dry-rot; viz. G losfer- 

 wsual mode of conducting a tire, to be Lodge, Brompton; Oxstcad Villa, la 



full as likely to take place, as that the 

 heat supplied should be uniforndy as 

 high as is required for the ^urjiose ju- 

 t£y4cit. 



Surry ; a house atHcndon, &c. &e. 



James Randall. 

 JFit;roij- square ; Nqv. 10. 



STATISTIfiAfc 



