;-;02 Timehri. 



wards, if economical conversion is to be rigidly carried out. In order 

 that the consumer may feel more satisfied such means have to be used as 

 to preclude, as far as practicable, the liability to warp. 



Of course no definite rules can be laid down for the conversion of 

 timber, but in practice it has been found that the best course to pursue 

 is that of selecting such logs as may be worked up into the required 

 sizes with as little waste as possible, then square them and break down 

 into planks of a given thickness. After placing these planks aside for 

 some months, properly stacked and sticked, on re-sawing to width 

 required, one is rewarded with straight scantlings. 



Crabwood is best dressed by machine when green and it is surprising- 

 how quickly it splits when cured during the process of dressing by 

 machine, or rather unless cured in a special manner, which will be 

 described later. This lumber, simply thrown down anyhow to cure, 

 warps in all forms and ways, especially across the face. It begins to 

 split when the feed rollers of the plane are brought to bear on the 

 particular piece, practically flattening out the protuberance, the cutters 

 next completing the splitting owing to the high speed at which they 

 strike the surface being planed. 



In the absence of an artificial timber dryer the method for curing, 

 when stacking in pile, should be by " sticking." By " sticking " is meant 

 the placing of strips, of such length as are equivalent to width of boards 

 and from 1" to \V thick by 1" wide, at distances of three feet apart, 

 along the surface of the board after having started the first tier on good 

 dunnage, set equally apart in a dry and airy place. Expensive method 

 though it may be, entailing great care and additional labour, it will well 

 repay the producer to give entire satisfaction to the consumer, especially 

 the cabinet maker, by supplying cured lumber. 



I regret that I am not in a position at the present moment to include 

 in this paper the results of •'girdling'" some crabwood trees a year ago, 

 and the subsequent action of the timber when being sawn. 



Cedar (Cedrda Odorata). 

 This timber has no peculiar feature during or after conversion and 

 is so well known that it calls for no detailed description from me. The 

 same method of stacking for curing should, however, be adopted as 

 described under crabwood. 



Simarupa (Simaruba Amara). 

 This is one of the simplest timbers to saw and it can be dressed 

 without difficulty either when green or cured. Xo delay should, however, 

 take place in converting logs into boards so soon as received, for the 

 wood becomes quite discoloured and rots if left on the timber flat for any 

 time, especially if tidal water comes into contact with it. 



Dallie (Myristica Surinamensis). 

 Like simarupa this is the timber of another sap-wood tree. When 

 quite green dallie is somewhat gummy and but for the fact that it is so 

 soft sawing w T ould be troublesome. 



