ON FELLING OP TREES FOR TIMBER. V^ 



this reason, to be cut the same season." The writer then men- 

 tions several other instances, and authorities, in favor of of cutting 

 timber, when durabihty is the object, at the time when the sap was 

 flowing with the most freedom ; and from the instances he has 

 cited, it appears, that the only disadvantage attending the practice, 

 is, that the timber thus cut, soon became so dry and hard as to 

 render it difficult to hew it, or make any impression on it with 

 edge tools. 



In reference to a memoir of M. Buflfon, before adverted to, the 

 British Encyolopedia states, that, " by many experiments, particu- 

 larly described in that essay, it appears, that the tree should not be 

 felled till the third year after it has been stripped of its bark ; that 

 it then becomes perfectly dry, and the sap (alburnum or sap-wood) 

 beconfics almost as strong as the rest of the timber — and stionger 

 than the heart of any other oak tree which has not been so strip- 

 ped ; and the whole of the timber stronger, heavier, and harder ;— 

 from which he thinks it fair to conclude that it is more durable." 



Mr. Phinehas Stevens, of Andover, Mass., observes, (see N. E. 

 Farmer, vol. ii. p. 370,) that, " the arguments adduced in favor of 

 felling timber in June, are not conclusive. From thirty years' per- 

 sonal observation, I find it depends, in a great measure, on the 

 quality of the timber. Some young growing timber, will perish 

 sooner than that which is older and more ripe ; and secondly, upon 

 the use it is put to. We will suppose timber of the same quality 

 wrought into two waggons, one of them, when used, is loaded with 

 wet loading, the other with dry ; it is obvious which will perish 

 first. I trust I shall not be charged with egotism, by those who 

 know me, when 1 say 1 have wrought more kinds of timber than 

 most men have, and for more uses than any I know of; and it has 

 been my endeavor to determine what time for felling, and what 

 kind of timber is best for the use desired. And from the many ob- 

 servations 1 have made from both, I am satisfied and ready to say 

 without hesitation, that September is the best time ; although I be- 

 lieve, that if the bark of timber trees could be taken olT in June, 

 without felling the tree, or injury to the wood, and then let it stand 

 till September, the timber would be stronger and more durable. 

 1 have seen this done to elm, walnut, and maple. All these are 

 considered of the most perishable kinds that are made use of for 

 timber. All of them proved to be more firm and lasting. I have 

 ^een white oak timber felled in February and March, the sap of 

 the wood was perished in Scpiem!)cr on one side of tlic logs. 1 

 have seen wood cut in M:iy and June, in vvliich more than the sap 

 of the wood was perished in one year. 1 have seen timber that 

 was cut in September, that the sap was perfectly sound and bright 

 two years afterwards. I have used white maple for hoops to 

 buckets tliat was cut in September, that lasted twenty-one years in 

 constant use, the first ten years for water, the remainder for feed- 

 ing swine. I have one now that was hooped with maple that wa^ 

 blown-down in the Si:ptember gaie, 1815, which is pcrlectly sound. 

 I have one other that 1 put but one maple hooj) on of the same 

 kind, the others were of walnut cut in iiie winter ; the latter I 

 17 Vol. L 



