TWISTIXG PREVENTED. I I 9 



Peelincf the standing^ trees and lettincf them stand 

 one season before cutting has been tried to prevent 

 twisting. This, however, is a dangerous and expensive 

 operation, and does not answer the end in view, which 

 may be otherwise better and more cheaply attained. 



Larch timber should be cut in winter, and lie in 

 the log with the bark on for about six or eight months ; 

 after that, if intended for flooring, doors, or such like 

 purposes, it should be cut into large scantlings, or the 

 trees simply squared with saw or axe, when it should 

 be stacked up, or arranged for thorough drying or sea- 

 soning. Flooring cut out of the seasoned log, quickly 

 dressed and laid, before receivincj wet or excessive 

 heat, will give no trouble or inconvenience in the 

 workmanship, and, when once laid as a floor, no 

 further trouble is experienced with it. 



Many of the complaints are simply the notions of 

 workmen, who prefer softer wood to work, and who, 

 being thus prejudiced against it, conjure up all manner 

 of complaints, either real or imaginary. " The chief 

 objections to the timber of the larch," says Ehind, 

 " are its liability to warp and twist ; but this is said 

 to be obviated by barking the trees in spring while 

 growing, and not cutting them down till the following 

 autumn, or even for a year afterwards ; it is also 

 said to prevent the timber from being attacked by dry 

 rot." This, it is scarcely necessary to say, is a mistake, 

 for it has been satisfactorily proved, almost beyond 

 dispute, that it has no influence either in preventing 

 dry rot or twisting, beyond what can be accomplished 



