MANAQBMENT OF DEPOTS AND TIMBER YARDS, 131 



CHAPTER v.— MANAGEMENT OF WOOD DEPOTS 

 AND TIMBER YARDS. 



In the chapter just completed the sale of wood In the forest was 

 described. In the present case, the wood, after undergoing a 

 considerable amount of conversion, is brought to a depot within 

 convenient reach of the market. A depot of this kind is, therefore, 

 necessarily of a permanent character, and is maintained on a very 

 much larger scale than mere forest depots. It requires the enter- 

 tainment of a special resident establishment, which can be more 

 fully utilized and better paid the larger the depot is, thus securing 

 at once economy and honesty. 



The most important points to attend to in such a dep6t are a 

 correct classification of the produce in accordance with the market 

 demand, and such an arrangement of the different classes that 

 they may be found at once and every piece examined without any 

 trouble. For facility both of check and of sale, the pieces in each 

 class should be put up in stacks or lots of definite size or contain- 

 ing a definite number of pieces. Provision should also be made 

 for the easy removal of every piece of wood. For this purpose the 

 entire area should be divided off into compartments containing 

 each a main class of produce, and each compartment into sub-com- 

 partments destined to contain separately the various categories of 

 each class. The division lines may be roads fit for carts or laid 

 with rails, according to the amount of traffic. 



Very large logs, too heavy to be moved without great difficulty, 

 should all be kept only in a single tier with the butt-end facing 

 the road. Smaller timber should be stacked in the way already 

 described on page 115. 



In very large dep6ts, sheds may be built to shelter the more valu- 

 able goods and to allow them to season properly. In these sheds, 

 in order to economise space, the ceiling should consist of strong, 

 open wood or iron work, capable of bearing boards and smaller sawn 

 material. While a perfectly free circulation of air throughout the 

 shed is necessary, draughts, especially of very dry and hot or very 

 damp or cold air, should be prevented, and the temperature inside 

 kept as equable as possible. 



A further precaution for timber that is not yet completely season- 

 ed is to plaster the ends with a mixture of clay and cowdung. It 



