68 TIMBER AND TIMBER TREES. [chap. 



moisture, which tends directly to decompose it, and, 

 decay having once set in owing to the penetration 

 of fungi, a species of rot soon supervenes, to the 

 detriment of the tree. This is often difficult to discover 

 while the tree is standing, as, unless the blow is of quite 

 recent date, the bark will have grown over it again, and 

 effaced every trace of the wound. 



The cases of "cup-shake" due to forest fires come 

 under this heading also. 



The following remarks on the selection of timber, 

 etc., may be useful : — 



In selecting timber, the surveyor's attention will 

 naturally be given to an examination of the butt or root 

 end, which should be close, solid, and sound ; and if 

 satisfied in this respect, the top should next be in- 

 spected, to see that it corresponds with the butt-end. 

 Afterwards he will glance over the exposed sides in 

 search of defects, carefully examining the knots, if any, 

 to see that they are solid. He will, of course, avoid 

 any piece that has either heart, cup, or star-shake, or 

 sponginess near the pith at the butt, discoloured wood 

 at the top, split along the sides, rind-gall, worm holes, 

 or hollow pr decayed knots. 



In dealing with spar-timber, he will select the 

 straightest pieces ; they should be free from all the 

 defects before mentioned, upsets, i.e. fibres crippled by 

 compression, large knots, and even those of moderate 

 size if they are numerous or situate ring-like round 

 the stick. Spar-timber should be straight-grained. 



As planks, deals, etc., depend for their usefulness 

 upon both quality and manufacture, the surveyor will 

 not only see that they are free from excess of sap, knots, 

 shakes, and shelliness upon their sides, but also that 

 they are evenly cut and fit for use of their thickness. 



