FELLING TIMBER. 147 



he could apply his mouth to this and forward his communication 

 with all the velocity of sound, viz: 1142 feet per second. We 

 should thus have a grand national speaking-trumpet, and the ex- 

 ecutive could whisper in a trice to the most remote corner of the 

 country, and give and receive intelligence to and from all their ser- 

 vants in almost as short a time, and as easily as if they were at 

 their elbows. 



FELLING TIMBER. 



Since the publication of our last number, the following has come 

 to hand from the New-England Farmer: 



Mr. Fessenden, — In vol. 2d of the New-England Farmer, were 

 published a few facts respecting the most proper time for felling 

 timber, that we intend to have the most durable, and yet have it 

 exposed to the weather. A\ the time of writing those statements, 

 I had one experiment going on, which had not come to a result. 

 In September 10, 1822, I bought a maple log, and felled it for tim- 

 her to work into a mill. After working what I wanted at that time, 

 the remainder was left exposed to the weather. In June, 1823, I 

 had another fallen, and left part of it exposed to the weather by 

 the side of the other. In October, 1823, I examined both pieces, 

 and found the one that was felled in June, was affected with white 

 rot, all through the timber ; but on examining that which was cut 

 in September, I found the outside colored in about one-fourt|i of 

 an inch ; the remainder white, and as good for timber as it ever 

 had been. 



In 1827, in August, 1 was making an engine to a paper-mill, and 

 had timber to work, which was felled in June, about the 10th. 

 The bark was left on until we worked it, when to our surprise, the 

 white sap-wood, in some places, had been rotten. This was the 

 Quercus alba, (white oak.) From a consideration of the approach- 

 ing scarcity of tirjiber, in this part of the country, 1 have been led 

 to communicate these remarks, not with a view of contradicting 

 any person, for I think that a few degrees of latitude may make 

 some considerable difference in the time when trees cease to extend 

 their branches, and form their leaf and fruit buds for the next year, 

 which is an indication that the sap is undergoing a change, and 

 ceases to descend ; a doctrine, which I shall attempt to demonstrate 

 by some experiments 1 havp made, which are conclusive to my 

 mind. But this I must omit till another opportunity. 



In this latitude, and to 1 deg, north — and nearly 1 to the south — 

 the leaf and fruit buds arc mostly formed in August, with here and 

 there an exception ; we find some formed in July, and some not 

 until September. These last are not timber trees ; and I think 

 that in the latitude of Philadelphia, timber trees standing on a 

 southern declivity, may be as mature in the last of June, as here 

 in September ; and what Mr. Cooper ha'; s-iid, [see JNew-England 



