NEW BRUNSWICK FORESTRY CONVENTION 55 



in this important question of the trees. We commence with a few lessons 

 on the growth of the timber tree and I have here a number of specimens 

 taken from those in daily use at our training courses in the Normal School. 

 On this board are shown several sections of timber trees of various types, 

 dealing with the softest and hardest wood. The specimens on that board 

 are intended to show that the timber tree grows outwardly by adding a layer 

 of wood each year in temperate climates. That leads us to the rings and 

 the study of the way in which the rings of growth are formed and their effect 

 on the grain of woods. With a cheap microscope very much interesting 

 work can be done just in the study of the growth or formation of the annual 

 ring. We go on then to the study of the pith, or medullary rays, taking, 

 perhaps, 8 piece of oak or maple, or some other wood which has the medul- 

 lary rays well defined, dealing with the effect of the rays in the growing tree 

 and also their effect upon the wood, chiefly from the point of view of the 

 beautifying of the wood when it is quarter cut and exhibits the rays in their 

 full beauty. Later on we have to consider the effect of the medullary rays 

 upon the shrinking of the wood, and that is very important, as they have a 

 great effect in the changes of form occurring during seasoning. 



Then we take up the leaves and their functions, about w r hich I need not 

 say much, but of course the effects of trees on the health of a community are 

 taken up in lessons on the functions of the leaves. We deal, of course, chiefly 

 with that beautiful function of the leaves to take in certain things from the 

 atmosphere and give out pure air in their place. Then we go on to the con- 

 sideration of the fibres and cells that make up the wood, and that gives us 

 an opportunity for microscopic work, and very many beautiful sections can 

 be made and are made by the boys for use under the microscope in studying 

 this important part of the subject. 



Then we get very many interesting lessons on the felling of trees, and in 

 those lessons we are assisted very materially by the excellent publications 

 of our own Forestry department and the Forestry department at Washington, 

 all of which are placed at our disposal by getting on their mailing lists. 



We next take up seasoning ; not only the method of seasoning, but the 

 reasons why lumber should be seasoned. That is, of course, full of interest 

 .and practical importance. We next deal with warping and shrinking, and 

 we get some very interesting lessons by obtaining from some of the lumber- 

 men 55 the butts of green logs, putting them in well heated rooms and watching 

 what croes on in the course of a year. The warping and shrinking of a 



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