42 



THE YOUNG FARMER'S MANUAL. 



a whole stick. Fig. 4 represents the best and strongest manner 



FIG. 4. 



STRONGEST MANNER OF SCARFING POSTS AND BEAMS. 



of scarfing timbers. This style requires more skill to make good 

 joints than either of the other figures. This style is calculated 

 more particularly for beams and posts. When timber is scarfed 

 like Fig. 4, iron bolts should be put through both ways, and the 

 feather-edged ends well nailed. When two timbers are scarfed 

 like Fig, 5, if they are well pinned with wooden pins iron bolts 



FIG. 5. 



T T 



MANNER OF SCARFING SILLS. 



will not be necessary. The square hole in the middle of the 

 scarf or splice should be laid out with about one-eighth of an inch 

 draw ; so that when a wooden key is driven firmly in, the pieces 

 will be brought to a close joint. 



CAUSE OF DECAY OF THE TIMBERS OF A BUILDING. 



33. If the timbers of a building should be kept dry, they 

 would remain sound and serviceable during all time, even if they 

 were not made of the most durable kinds of wood. When mor 

 tises for studs, or anything else, are made in the upper side of a 

 sill, or any other part of the frame; or when there are large checks 

 in the upper side of a stick, a hole should be bored in the side of 

 the stick, so as to intersect the bottom of mortises or checks, for 

 the purpose of affording a passage for any water to escape that 

 might find its way into such cavities. I know it is argued that 

 when a house is erected it should be so well inclosed that no 

 water can ever find its way into cavities in the timber. But 



