188 Transactions.— Miscellaneous. 
over ripe trees. A small straight crack in the centre of a log does little 
harm, but when it is of a star shape, and has a twist in the length of the 
timber, its strength as a beam is seriously impaired, and it cannot be cut 
into planks. Another defect, known as the cup shake, consists in want of 
cohesion between the annual rings; it is less common but more serious 
than the one just described. The heart cavity is caused entirely by over 
ripeness in the trees, and its extent is in direct proportion to the time they 
have been allowed to stand after maturity. The cup shake is rare in Otago, 
but the other two defects occur in several kinds— a straight heart crack 
filled with gum or resin is very common in rimu, and the hollow heart is 
always met with in aged totara and cedar. 
Seasoning.—There is no operation connected with the utilizing of timber 
on which so much depends as seasoning, at the same time there is no sub- 
ject that receives so little attention from practical men, particularly in new 
countries. When it is considered that proper seasoning doubles the 
strength of timber, and increases its durability to an indefinite extent, the 
folly of using it in a green state is too apparent to need comment. Barking 
the trees a few months before felling, which is a very old custom, assists 
materially in draining the sap, and if to this is added the cutting through of 
the sap-wood all round, it makes the process very complete. Barking as a 
means of seasoning, is practised to some extent in the North Island, but I 
never heard of its being resorted to for this purpose in Otago. After felling, 
timber is seasoned naturally by the weather, or artificially by steeping in 
water, smoking, boiling, steaming or drying in a warm atmosphere. The 
objectin all eases isto abstract such portions of the sap as are caleulated to 
cause decay, but in doing so there is a danger of going too far: the juices 
that give elasticity, toughness, and durability may be abstracted along with 
those of a pernicious kind. It is found that natural seasoning is the best, 
and next it that by steeping the timber in running water, but both are very 
much slower than any of the other methods named. According to Laslett 
the time required for seasoning timber in open sheds is as follows :— 
Pieces 12 to 16 inches, Oak 14 months, Fir 7 months. 
9 8 9? 12 93 do 10 b> Oo 5 39) 
79 4 33 8 9 do 6 3) do 3 bE] 
so oe ee ae do A s do 2 5 
The same sizes of timber would be equally well seasoned by steeping for ten 
days in running water, and afterwards drying under cover for a month. 
The other methods of seasoning complete the work in a few hours and up- 
wards, but what is gained in time is frequently lost in strength and 
durability ; the only real benefit they bestow is the saving of shrinkage. 
