and Specific Gravity of various Specimens oj' IVcod. 369 



strength; it is a much weaker timber. I speak both of the 

 Quebec and the Miramichi. 



" In point of durability, how do you rank them ? — That is ac- 

 cording to the purpose ; this table will last if it is made of cither; 

 but if you put the American in damp situations.it will perish more 

 rapidly than any other. 



" Is it more liable to the dry-rot ? — All wood is liable to the 

 dry-rot ; but I think the soil is more congenial to the growth of 

 the dry-rot in yellow pine; the wood is more obnoxious to it. 



*' Much more than in the red pine ? — Much more than any 

 other timber. 



" Is the red pine more liable to it? — I apprehend it is not more 

 so than Swedish timber. 



*' Do you apprehend the length of the voyage from America 

 contributes to the dry-rot ? — If wood is put on board a ship in a 

 damp state, which it is nine times in ten, you will see a tendency 

 to dry-rot whenever the timber is delivered ; that is, you will see 

 the commencement of the dry-rot on the surface. 



" By wet do you mean green? — Not entirely ; in Memel it is 

 kept under water, when they wish to preserve it, for a great 

 length of time; they consider that will preserve it better tiian an 

 alternate exposure to wet and dry. 



" Have you observed this more in the American timber than 

 in the timber from the Baltic? — The voyage being longer, the 

 dry-rot has had more time to grow ; but if it is shipped in a dry 

 condition, it will come out perfectly good and sound. 



" Do you know the different purposes to which the different 

 kinds of timber are generally applied ? — The first timbers I men- 

 tioned are applied for what is called builders' purposes, that is 

 to say, for the frame work of a house ; then the yellow pine is 

 not at all applicable to that purpose; the red pine is. 



" To what purposes is the yellow pine applicable ? — The yel- 

 low pine is used by coach-makers, blind-makers ; it is better for 

 musical-instrument makers than any other; for mouldings, where 

 you want soft wood to carve picture frames; chests and packing- 

 cases, to an immense amount. 



" What proportion of the wood imported into this country is 

 employed for those purposes? — It would astonish the Connnittee 

 to know the quantity used for packing-cases in London alone; if 

 If I were to guess, I should say one-fourth of the whole wood 

 that comes into London. * 



" For those iifferior purposes this description of wood is as good 

 as the superior description would be? — No, not for the packing- 

 cases altogether; a great number of the packing-cases made for 

 long voyages they arc obliged to make out of Baltic deals, because 

 the American is so very soft it will not hold the nails ; the East 



Vol. :>1. No. 277. May 1821. 3 A India 



