PLANK. 



7 



ed and barked, which not only prevents injiuy from 

 drought-cracks, but produces also a considerable 

 saving of timber and labom% as the w^ood is softer 

 when green ; and the centre planks can thus be had 

 much broader than after squaring the log. The outer 

 part of the matured or red wood, which is partly cut 

 away in squaring, is also the cleanest for bending. 

 The sap or not sufficiently matured wood, when left 

 on the side of the plank in the vessel, wherever it is 

 not always soaking in water, is only useful to the 

 shipwright, as it decays in two or three years, and 

 demands an expensive repair. When plank timber 

 is squared, it is for the conveniency of carriage and 

 stowage, and where timber is of little value. 



Of British trees suited for plank, the most valu- 

 able are oak, Spanish chesnut, larch, red wood pine, 

 and sometimes beech *, elm, plane {Acer pseudo-pla- 

 tanus) under water. As no timber decays under 

 water for a considerable length of time, when put in 

 fresh, unless it be devoured by the sea-worm, beech 

 or any other hard tough wood is nearly equally good 

 as oak for outside plank under light water-mark, 

 provided the timber be hastened out of the bush 

 into the vessel, or be kept in pools, either in log or 



* Beech, suited for plank, is sometimes of more value when 

 straight and of considerable length for the purposes of keel-pieces ; 

 for this the log requires to be from 30 to 70 feet in length, and at 

 least of sufficient thickness at the small end to square a foot. 



