The Durability and Preservation of Woods 245 



When either air or moisture is lacking fungi cannot live ; 

 and where fungi cannot live there is no rot. Since air and 

 moisture are both necessary to the development of fungi, 

 it is seen plainly that by eliminating either one of these, 

 rot can be prevented. 



METHOD OF SEASONING LOGS AND TIMBER 



This process should begin in the woods as soon as the 

 timber is cut and proceed slowly and steadily till the wood 

 is dry. To accomplish this the logs should be peeled, 

 if they are to be left in the woods any length of time, 

 and put upon skids. It would pay in some cases to split 

 the more valuable hardwood logs to cause more thorough 

 drying. This seasoning should not, however, be allowed 

 to proceed too rapidly or the logs will check badly, and 

 the cracks will open up the damp interior of the log to the 

 attacks of the fungi. The checking of the ends of logs is 

 prevented by a coat of paint that prevents too rapid 

 seasoning, and hence checking. 



Seasoning lumber 



In the lumber yard, still greater care should be taken 

 with the seasoning of the sawn lumber. The bottoms of 

 the piles should be raised on skids, and lath strips or, 

 better yet, narrow inch boards, — placed near the ends of 

 the boards and always directly below each other, — ■ put 

 between every two layers of boards across the pile. This ■ 

 insures good circulation of air. 



When possible, lumber should always be piled under 

 cover for seasoning. This allows a more even temperature, 

 protected from the direct rays of the sun ; and there is good 



