THE BEST TIME TO CUT TIMBER. 73 



to the one cutting timber than any slight yariation in 

 quality that may follow, still there is no doubt a choice 

 in time for felling trees for all purposes. In late fall 

 and winter, when trees are in a dormant state, the wood 

 contains less liquids than in spring and summer, and 

 this is without doubt an advantage, for there is not only 

 less to be driven ofE in seasoning, but less to produce 

 chemical changes which are often more or less injurious 

 to both strength and durability. 



From my own experience and all the facts that I have 

 been able to gather from lumbermen and dealers in 

 timber, I have come to the conclusion that the winter is 

 not only preferable but the most convenient season for 

 cutting timber, whether to be converted into sawed 

 timber or be used for posts, rails, railroad ties, or other 

 purposes where toughness and durability are an object. 

 But in. case of small timber for posts and stakes from 

 which the bark is to be stripped, then we may delay the 

 cutting until the latter part of the winter, or until the 

 sap commences to liquify, which will facilitate the re- 

 moval of the bark. All stakes and posts which are to be 

 set in the ground should have the bark removed, certainly 

 on that portion which is placed in the ground. 



If we bear in mind the fact, that it is only the outer 

 portion of the tree — ^the sap wood, leaves, buds, and 

 inner layers of the bark — ^which are alive and contain 

 true sap, all other portions being dead, and only serve 

 as a covering, or like the heart wood, help to sustain the 

 tree in its position, we can readily see why it will make 

 no material difEerence in the lasting properties of timber 

 whether it is cut in summer or winter, provided the 

 green portion is soon deprived of its moisture, so that 

 insects will not find a lodgment for their eggs or decay 

 be accelerated by its presence. 



For such purposes as hoop poles, the bark must be 

 retained as it is generally considered essential, and in 

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