316 THE UTILISATION OF WOODLAND PKODUCE. 



or less standard sizes from timber-yards Scantlings are over 

 4 in. wide, and at least 4 in. thick ; planks are at least 10 in. 

 wide, and from 2 to 4 in. thick ; deals are 9 in. wide, and from 

 2 to 4 in. thick ; battens are 7 in. wide, and from 2 to 4 in. 

 thick. On the Clyde the customary sizes are : scantlings 

 and battens, 10 ft. and upwards x 4 in. to 6 in. x 1 J in. to 3 in. ; 

 deals and planks 12 ft. to 15 ft. and upwards (but averaging 

 18 ft. to 20 ft.) x 10 in. and upwards x 3 in. and upwards. 

 These are further reduced to boards of 6 to 12 in. wide and 

 J to 1 in. thick, and laths from 1 to 4 in. broad and J to 2 in. 

 thick. 



By trade custom 120 deals = 100 ; 1 square of flooring = 100 

 superficial ft. ; 1 load of timber = 40 cubic ft. in the rough and 

 50 cubic ft. squared or converted ; 1 load of planks = 600 

 square ft. of 1 in., 400 of 1 J in., 300 of 2 in., 240 of 2J in., 

 200 of 3 in., 170 of 3 in., and 150 of 4 in. ; a ton is some- 

 times 40 cubic ft. (hardwoods), sometimes 50 cubic ft. (soft- 

 woods), for railway carriage, and sometimes deadweight avoir- 

 dupois (as timber is usually sold in Ireland) ; and a cord of 

 wood or stack of fuel is 2J tons (125 cubic ft.), or a cubic 

 fathom (216 cubic ft), or other size by local custom. 

 When logs of 8 ft. or more in girth are being converted into 

 boards, they are often first quarter-balked and then sawn as 

 much as possible on the quarter 

 i.e., in the direction of the medullary 

 rays so as to display the best flower- 

 ing and grain. There are several 

 methods of converting on the quarter, 

 but two of the simplest are shown in. 

 Fig. 91, where the various alternate 

 and successive saw-cuts can be easily 



Fig. 91. 



Conversion on the quarter. 



seen, as well as the final remnants that can be used as fence-posts, 

 &c. Cleft timber is the best for oars, cask-staves, wheel-spokes, 

 paling-wood, gate-rails, ladder-rungs, trenails or wooden pins-, &c. 



