NOTE ON SAIN Oil SAJ. 6 



Strength. The value of P, which represents the strength of a bar of 

 timber calculated from the length between supports, breadth and thickness 

 of the bar, and the weight in pounds which, when placed in the middle of 

 the bar, causes it to break, is for this timber about 827 (Gamble). For 

 Sal it is 790, for Teak 600, and for Shisham 796. 



Fissibility. From tests made by Mr. R. S. Troup the timber appears 

 to be fairly easily split. The figure given by a number of tests made 

 in different ways is 4'63, Teak giving the figure 1'75, Chirpine 2, Acacia 

 Catechu 2'98, and Sal 9'33. 



Calorific power. The heat-producing power of the timber is very 

 high, being with Sal almost at the top of the list of 56 common Indian 

 woods tested by the Forest Chemist, Mr. Puran Singh ; only two species, 

 both conifers, are above Sal and Sain, and it is a good fuel and charcoal 

 wood. 



Seasoning. In Central and Southern India the timber is often soaked 

 in water for a month or two after felling and barking which is said to 

 increase its durability. The lighter heartwood between the centre and 

 the outer circumference also becomes darkened in colour by this means. 

 The timber needs slow seasoning in the shade as it is apt to crack and 

 split badly if dried too quickly. In the Central Provinces the water 

 method is employed, and other methods in use are to bark the logs when 

 felled during the rains and stand them up against trees for several 

 months, or to char the logs after barking over a light fire. In Central 

 India the wood is much preferred when felled during the rains and the 

 natives object to felling it at any other time. 



Uses. The timber is used all over India for building purposes 

 usually as beams, rafters, and occasionally ceiling planks. It is also 

 used for carts, ploughs, dolls, slippers, irrigation water-wheels, bedsteads, 

 bushing machinery, and very often as fuel. In the Central Provinces 

 poles are in great demand by the villagers and are sold to the coal mines 

 for pit props. At Meerut scantlings and beams are sold at Rl-6 pel' 

 cubic foot, but planks are not considered worth offering for sale. In 

 1890 scantlings 12' X 5" x 4" were selling at R!4 per score at Cawnpore, 

 R35 at Bareilly, and R55 at Moradabad. In 1895 the prices were H40 at 

 Cawnpore, R45 at Bareilly, and about S50 at Moradabad. At Kallai 

 in Malabar the price is R2 per cubic foot for scantlings and R2-2 per 

 cubic foot for planks free on railway trucks. Some of the hill people in the 

 United Provinces have a superstitious prejudice against the wood and 



