BOOK V 



OF THE TIMBER OF VARIOUS TREES AND ITS USES. 



I. IN like manner we must endeavour to speak of 

 timber, saying of what nature is that of each tree, 

 what is the right season for cutting it, which kinds 

 are hard or easy to work, and anything else that 

 belongs to such an enquiry. 



Of the seasons of cutting. 



1 Now these are the right seasons for cutting 

 timber : for ' round ' timber and that whose bark is 

 to be stripped the time is when the tree is coming 

 into leaf. For then the bark is easily stripped 

 (which process they call f peeling ' 2 ) because of the 

 moisture which forms beneath it. At a later time it 

 is hard to strip, 3 and the timber obtained is black 

 and uncomely. However square logs can be cut 

 after the time of peeling, since trimming with the 

 axe removes the uncomeliness. In general any wood 

 is at the best season as to strength when it has not 

 merely ceased coming into leaf, but has even ripened 

 its fruit ; however on account of the bark-stripping 

 it comes to pass that ' round ' timber is in season 4 

 when it is cut before it is ripe, so that, as it happens, 

 the seasons are here reversed. Moreover the wood 



4 i.e. in practice the timber is cut before the ideally 

 proper time. 



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