53 



Tlie position as to quality, in comparison with tlie other kinds mentiouod, is indi- 

 cated by numbers in parentheses. 







Weight 



Specific 

 gravity. 



Resistance 





Trans- 



Dcsciiption. 



Eange. 



per 

 cubic 

 foot. 



to in- 

 dentation. 



Elasticity. 



Terse 

 strength. 



White oalc {Quercus alba, 



L). 

 Cliestautorrock-cuestnut 



East of the Rocky 



Mountains. 

 Northeastern and 



4G. 35 



0. 7470 (4) 



3388 (6) 



97089 (2) 



905 (4) 



4G.73 



0. 7499 (3) 



3688 (5) 



125473 (1) 



1031 {2) 



o.)k (Q:ierci>sprinuif, L.). 



in Kentucky, 

 Tennessee, and 

 Alabama. 













P.astet or cow oak (Quer- 



Southeastern 



50.10 



0.8039 (2) 



3725 (4) 



96373 (3) 



1118 (1) 



riix M-ichavxii, Niitt.}. 















Burr, niossy-ciip, or over- 



Northern United 



46.45 



0. 7453 (G) 



3730 (3) 



92929 (4) 



982 (3) 



cup oak 1 Quercus macro- 



States. 













carpa. Michx). 















Post, or iron oak (Qvercus 



East of Eocky 



52.14 



0.8367 (1) 



4415 (1) 



83257 (5) 



872 ((J) 



obtnailoha, M-'chx.). 



Mountains. 













Ciuifornia white oak 



Pucitic Coast 



46.45 



0.7453 (5) 



3840 (3) 



81109 (6) 



879 (5) 



(Quercus Oarryana, 















Dougl). 















From these figures it would seem that, contrary to the accepted notion, the white 

 oak, i^ar excellence, is inferior in all particulars to The chestnut oak, and in general 

 not superior to any of the others. 



Trustiug that the above information will be of value to you, and that, so far as 

 your conditions enable you to make use of it, you will do so, and thus to some extent 

 aid in economizing timber supplies. 

 Yours, respectfully, 



Norman J. Colman, 



Commissioned' of Agriculture. 



Note. — The objection to the iujnrious influence on their dnrabilily of cutting trees 

 in the saj), which is done to obtain bark, is met by leaving the trees full length, with 

 limbs and leaves nntrimmed for a fortnight, when by the action of the leaves a 

 more thorough seasoning will be accomplished than can otherwise be obtained. 



This practice is common abroad wherever summer felling is a necessity, and has 

 proved itself so satisfactory that preference is given to cutting timber in the leaf. 



CORRESPONDENCE IN REPLY TO THE CIRCULAR ON 

 CHESTNUT-OAK TIES. 



Louisville, New Orleans and Texas Railway Company. — My own experience confirms 

 fully the facts stated in your circular. (James M. Edwards, vice-president and gen- 

 eral manager.) 



Eichmond and Allegheny Bailroad. — I have ranked chestnut oak with white and post 

 oak for thirty years past, and in the middle sections of the State the impression is 

 that, cut under similar conditions, it rather outlasts the white oak. (R. D. Whit- 

 comb, chief engineer.) 



Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texas Facific Bailway Company. — 1 have seen your circular 

 concerning the value of chestnut oak, and am glad that you called attention to the 

 subject. 



We have had its use specified for our cross-ties on the Cincinnati >Southern Railway 

 since the first construction of the track, in 1876. (G. B. Nicholson, chief engineer.) 



Nashville, Chattanooga and Saint Louis Eailivay. — Please accept my thanks for your 

 circular letter with reference to chestnut oak for cross-ties. Our chief eusiueer ad- 



