214 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



Solon Robinson related a fact of his being struck in a house 

 furnished with a lightning rod, which proved no protection. But 

 the question is, how shall we protect our barns? If lightning 

 rods will not do it, the question is what will ? I believe trees 

 are very valuable protectors, when electricity comes down from 

 the clouds. Does it ahvays ? 



The Secretary. — My experience shows that the tearing of trees 

 by lightning is upward, so that the force comes from below and 

 not from the clouds. And the tearing follows the grain of the 

 wood. 



Mr. Carpenter stated that, in one case, he had seen a tree 

 where a bolt had apparently gone right through the body. 



Mr. Lawton. — One insurance company that I insured in made 

 a considerable reduction upon buildings provided with rods. 



Mr. Latson. — I use no rods upon my buildings, but I protect 

 them by tall tree. I have had several tall Lombardy poplars 

 torn in pieces, and they probably saved the barn. The lightning 

 rod near by did not attract the fluid, and I took it down. 



THE TEAK AND OTHER TIMBER. 



The secretary made the following statement in relation to 

 timber : 



Donald McKay, the distinguished ship-builder, Boston, declares 

 that our oak timber is fully equal, if not superior to the British 

 or French. British gun-boats four or five years old, from the 

 best ship-yards, are now rotting to a frightful extent. We have 

 nothing like it. Italian oak is far superior to English. Our 

 packet and clipper ships run for years, and show no weakness. 

 Our live-oak is of established reputation for durability and 

 strength. It is believed that only one timber on earth is more 

 durable — the Teak, of the Indies. Lindley, in his "Vegetable 

 Kingdom," places Teak in his 256th order — the Verbenaceee — as 

 Tectonagrandis, and as an enormous tree, with deciduous leaves, 

 covered with rough points. It inhabits the mountains of Mala- 

 bar, Pegu, and others, in the East Indies. Its timber abounds in 

 particles of silex, and has no rival in Asia for durability. With 

 much the appearance of mahogany, it is lighter and very strong. 

 Our country must grow Teak ! It is worth more for utility, for 

 Btructures on land and sea, than any other timber, ten times 

 over; beautiful masts are made of some of the trees. 



