Inquiries relative to the Structure of Wood. 455 



SECTION V. Of the Quantities of Water attracted from the 

 Atmosphere by Woods of various Species ', after being per- 

 fectly dried. 



It has been long known that charcoal imbibes the 

 humidity of the atmosphere with considerable eager- 

 ness ; but I have discovered that dry wood attracts it 

 with still greater avidity. The following are the details 

 and results of a series of experiments made last winter, 

 with a view to elucidate this subject. 



Having procured thin shavings, about 5 inches long 

 and half an inch broad, of nine different species of the 

 woods of our climate, in order more certainly to re- 

 duce them to an equal degree of dryness, I began my 

 experiment by boiling them for two hours in water, that 

 they might be thoroughly impregnated with that ele- 

 ment. 



I then dried them well in a stove, in which they were 

 kept during 24 hours, exposed to a temperature higher 

 than that of boiling water, at about 250 of Fahrenheit's 

 scale. 



On taking them out of the stove, they were carefully 

 weighed, being still hot ; they were then suffered to re- 

 main in the open air for 24 hours, in a large room, 

 whose temperature was uniformly during the day and 

 night at about 45 to 46 F. This was on the ist of 

 February, 1812. 



The weight of the shavings, on being removed from 

 the stove thoroughly dried, and after having been ex- 

 posed to the air of the large room, was as follows : 



