464 Inquiries relative to the Structure of Wood. 



There is still, however, a very interesting question re- 

 maining for discussion, namely, Is the seerwood char- 

 coal ? 



To elucidate this question, I began by examining 

 whether charcoal had the same specific gravity as seer- 

 wood. 



I, therefore, reduced some common oak-charcoal, 

 which appeared to be well manufactured, into pieces 

 about the size of small peas, and then boiled them in 

 a pretty good quantity of Seine water, previously well 

 filtered ; the pores of the charcoal were speedily so com- 

 pletely filled with this liquid, that, becoming heavier than 

 the water, in equal bulk, it precipitated itself to the bot- 

 tom of the vessel, and there remained. 



On removing the vessel from the fire, the water was 

 suffered to cool to the temperature of 60 F. ; and then 

 the charcoal, while still submerged, was put into the 

 small glass vase of the hydrostatic balance, and weighed. 

 Its weight in the water, at the temperature of 60 F., 

 was 2.44 grammes. 



When the charcoal was taken out of the water, it was 

 put into a cylindrical glass vessel i^ inch in diameter, 

 and 6 inches in height, in which it was thoroughly dried 

 in the stove at a temperature of about 265 F. 



After it had been six hours in the stove, it was taken 

 out and weighed while still hot, and found to be equal 

 to 6.7 grammes ; therefore its specific gravity was 



I57, 2 73- 



We have before shown that the specific gravity of 



the solid parts of oak, in the state of seerwood, is 



/*-/' I 



This is certainly very similar to that of charcoal made 

 of the same kind of wood ; but we have not yet proved 



