Wellington Philosophical Society. 391 
be cut during that season ; therefore other methods of getting rid of the sap 
must be resorted to. In some parts of Great Britain, and notably in the 
Imperial Dockyards, the timber is © streamed," the running water washing 
out the sap, and being afterwards itself more easily got rid of. A less efficient 
plan is to stack the wood in such a way that it is exposed to the full benefit of 
the rain and wind. The kauri timber of Auckland is much improved by 
being floated down the streams to the place of shipment. When timber is 
placed in contact with damp earth decay can only be prevented by its 
infiltration with antiseptic fluids, or other preservatives. The totara 
(Podocarpus totara) is indebted to a secreted oil for its preservation. In the 
crude petroleum of Poverty Bay we possess an excellent artificial substitute 
for this natural secretion, and it therefore only remains to prove whether the 
renewal of timber every few years would cost less than the oil and its 
application. The permeating power of petroleum is very great. Either by 
painting the surface, or by infiltration, wood already in use might be made 
safe for many years. It may not be generally known that the application of 
kerosene will arrest dry rot. The author finished by pointing out that our 
present hand-to-mouth system can only be productive of short-lived buildings. 
The Hon. Mr. Waterhouse said that the paper read did not nearly 
exhaust the subject. Certain seasons should be set apart for cutting timber. 
The very best heart of totara piles in his house were quite rotten after being 
only six years in the ground. A knife could be pushed into their very centre. 
Some timber at Castle Point also rotted at the base after six years. The 
timber had been cut in summer, and at once placed in the ground. Charring 
is a good preservative for wood in the ground, and manuka cut at the proper 
season and charred is preferable to anything; but if cut in summer it will 
only last a short time. Sleepers should always be charred. He hoped the 
matter would not be lost sight of. 
2. “On Solar and Terrestrial Radiation,” by C. Rous Marten, F.M.S. 
(ABSTRACT. ) 
The author described the instruments employed in the registration of the 
solar rays, and the methods adopted by meteorologists to obtain readings. He 
then proceeded to point out that the solar radiation in the South Island attained 
` a degree which was never reached in the North Island. In Melbourne, where 
the temperature usually ranged much higher than in New Zealand, the highest 
solar range registered during a period of 16 years was 1605 At the Cape ` 
and in Sydney the highest range was 140°; while, in the South Island, 
readings of 170° were frequently shown, and on one occasion in Southland the 
solar rays reached the extraordinary reading of 195°. The author said that 
he would read a fuller paper on the subject at a future meeting. 
Mr. Travers was aware that the high readings spoken of by Mr. Marten 
