RESEARCH WORK AND EDUCATIONAL METHODS. 63 



that the factor of safety rendered necessary by the tables at 

 present used by engineers, architects, etc., may be materially 

 reduced. If by any means it is found possible to do this in 

 such a manner that, by examination of the structure, an 

 engineer may at once know within moderate limits the strength 

 of a log, the work will be of immense value. But even apart 

 from this the work will be of service by enabling consumers to 

 readily find substitutes for woods which are becoming scarce. 



Other tests are being made in this section to determine the 

 effect which the treatment of wood under pressure in the 

 process of preserving has on its mechanical properties. 



The effects of different methods of seasoning on the mechanical 

 properties are also investigated. 



The equipment of this laboratory consists of — 



one 200,000 lbs. Riehle testing machine ; 

 one 100,000 lbs. Olsen ,, ,, 



three 30,000 lbs. Olsen „ ,, 



one 60,000 inch pound Riehle torsion testing machine ; 

 one impact testing machine ; and various machines for 

 doing shop-repairs, grinding tools, etc. 



Another piece of apparatus which is best described under this 

 section, though it is actually set up in the Timber Physics 

 Laboratory, is one which has been specially designed for 

 determining the effect of dead loads on beams, the deflections 

 of each beam being automatically recorded upon a revolving 

 •drum. The object of this research is to ascertain the relations 

 that exist between the strength of a material as demonstrated 

 by ordinary testing machines working at uniform speed, and 

 its strength when placed under a constant stress or dead load. 



2. Timber Physics Department. — In this section studies are 

 made of the physical properties of wood and their relation to 

 structure. These include determination of the specific gravity, 

 specific heat, the effects of changes of temperature, pressure and 

 moisture on the wood substance and general structure, etc. 

 These researches have a special bearing on the artificial treat- 

 ment of wood in the processes of seasoning, fire-proofing, 

 preserving under pressure, etc., when it is important to know 

 the effect of different pressures, the amount of heat required, the 

 length of time different kinds of wood may be exposed to certain 

 <;onditions, and so forth. The results of this work therefore 



