318 TIMBER AND TIMBER TREES. [cHap. 
often left to sink by their own weight into soft earth, 
where they absorb a large amount of moisture. All logs, 
therefore, as they are brought in, unless stacked at once, 
should be blocked or skidded off the ground, as a 
temporary measure; it involves little trouble, and will 
amply repay the cost of labour. 
In stacking timber the following suggestions may be 
useful :— 
First. Let the skidding as a rule be placed as nearly 
as possible level both ways, and in no case allow the 
upper side of it to be less than 12 inches distant from the 
ground ; it will then necessarily follow that, whether the 
stacking ground be level or upon the hill-side, there will 
be ample space for ventilation under the timber to be 
piled thereon. 
Secondly. Let the butt-ends of the logs be placed 
to the front, and keep the back or top ends of each tier 
slightly higher than the butts, for facility in withdrawing 
them from the stack. 
Thirdly. Let the skidding over each tier of logs be 
level, and place short blocks under it, as packing pieces 
1% or 2 inches in thickness upon every log; the advan- 
tage of this is, that by removing the packing pieces any 
log in the tier, between the two layers of skidding, may 
be withdrawn from the stack without disturbing the 
remainder. 
Fourthly. If the timber to be stored cannot be 
placed in a permanent shed, it should, with the view to 
its preservation, have a temporary roof placed over it. 
The size of the stack should therefore be considered in 
setting it out, limiting the breadth or span to about 2 5 
or 30 feet. 
Fifthly. Let each tier as it rises be set back 6 to 8 
inches, to enable the converter to get over it without a 
