78 TIMBER AND TIMBER TREES. [chap. 



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 hillside, there 

 will be ample space for ventilation under the timber to 

 be piled thereon. 



Secondly. Let the butt-ends of the Iqgs 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 

 i^ 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 be withdrawn from the stack without disturbing the 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 

 25 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 

 ladder ; he will find it convenient for examining and 

 selecting his logs for conversion. 



These rules were carefully carried out at Woolwich 

 Dockyard, where for some few years previous to its being 

 closed, an immense quantity of timber was kept. The 

 stacks, besides being covered in, had the sides and one 

 end also screened from the weather ; all this was done 

 with the coarsest description of board in store, and such 

 as could not have been used for joiners' general purposes. 



