38 



TKOHNIOAL PR0PBRTIB8 OP WOOD. 



of decomposition, complete hollows, that are bound to grow larger 

 year after year, often being the result {see Fig. 7). 



Occluded dead branch. Notice hollow 

 poeMt formed. (After Hartig). 



Whatever use is made of a log containing this defect, the enclos- 

 ed dead branch and all the surrounding decayed tissues must be 

 cut out. 



7. Interior hark. 



In a few exceptional species having an abnormal mode of growth, 

 such as Dalbergia paniculata, Bauhinia Valilii and Millettia auri- 

 culata, either layers of bark are found throughout the thickness of 

 the stem alternating with layers of wood, or the stem is composed 

 of a mass of bark-tissue traversed by strands of wood. This defect 

 is obviously incurable, and the stem is totally unsuitable for use as 

 timber, and even yields a very inferior fuel. In the case of species 

 possessing normal growth, two distinct stems produced on one 

 and the same stool, or the two branches of a fork, may amalgamate 

 and become grafted together laterally for a certain distance. When 

 this happens, the old bark existing previous to the amalgamation 

 remains enclosed in the middle by the newly forming woody layers 

 common to the now amalgamated stems. There is also another 

 instance of interior bark. In trees that form exaggerated flutes, 

 two such flutes may unite laterally and thus shut in the bark 

 between them. Interior bark in these two last cases has no fur- 

 ther drawback than to give the unfelled tree a fictitious value in 



