xxxix.] STACKING. 



ladder ; he will find it convenient for examining and 

 selecting his logs for conversion. 



These rules were carefully carried out at Woolwich 

 Dockyard, where for some few years previous to its being 

 closed, an immense quantity of timber was kept. The 

 stacks, besides being covered in, had the sides and one 

 end also screened from the weather ; all this was done 

 \\iih the coarsest description of board in store, and such 

 as could not have been used for joiners' general purposes. 

 The boards forming the screen at the sides were slipped 

 into a groove at top and bottom, and a rail or fillet mid- 

 way up and outside was secured to the inner framework 

 of the shed by nails driven between the edges of the 

 boards. No other fastening was required, and the 

 advantage of the plan was this it allowed sufficient play 

 for the boards to shrink or expand according to the 

 weather and the season, while they were still removable 

 at pleasure for any other purpose. 



The end or working face of the stack was similarly 

 closed up, but in this case, the boards being more 

 frequently shifted, they were, for convenience, clamped 

 together in twos and threes, and secured with a shifting 

 bar half way up. The timber was thus well protected 

 from the weather, and well ventilated, though not 

 subjected to a draught; and, in 1869, Woolwich yard 

 contained probably the finest and best-preserved stock of 

 timber in England. 



It will be seen, then, that the preservation of 

 timber may be cheaply and economically effected, and 

 its seasoning brought about in a steady and regular 

 manner by the adoption of the simplest precautions. 

 Experience has shown that this is the only certain 

 -method of insuring its durability, and it is therefore fit 

 that the best attention should be paid to it. 



