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XIV. — On the Use of Home-gro%on Tirnher when prepared loitli a 
Solution of Lime. A Letter addressed to the Editor by 
AuTiiuu Bailey Denton. 
Dear Sir, — The abuse of home-grown timber in its application to 
farm buildings having led the Enclosure Commissioners of Eng- 
land and Wales to state in their memorandum of instructions to 
persons using the powers of the Improvement Acts, that "in all 
cases where fir timber is used, that obtained from Memel or Nor- 
way, «ind battens from Dram, St. Petersburg, or other Norway 
or Baltic ports, is to be preferred," the importance of their recent 
decision with respect to home-grown timber, after it has been 
prepared by being steeped in a solution of lime, cannot be over- 
rated ; inasmuch as, not only may the cost of farm buildings be 
reduced by its judicious employment, but the growth of suitable 
timber on soils which might otherwise remain unproductive will 
be encouraged. Thus, two branches of estate improvement 
greatly affecting the interests of landowners may be advanta- 
geously promoted. 
In the month of March, 1867, Mr. Burton Borough, of Chet- 
wynd Park, near Newport, Salop, applied to the General 
Land Drainage and Improvement Company for the use of the 
powers of their Act in the erection of certain farm buildings, 
and carrying out certain other improvements ; at the same time 
expressing his intention of using the fir timber grown upon 
his estate where it could be profitably applied ; and desiring 
an investigation into the system he was then adopting of 
steeping the timber he used, after it had been sawn by steam 
machinery to the proper scantlings, in a solution of lime. An 
investigation of the process satisfied my father, acting on behalf 
of the C(jmpany, that the object was not only desirable in this 
particular instance, but that it might be found advantageous in 
the majority of cases where suitable timber was growing on 
estates. For many years the process of soaking fir timber of 
mature growth in a solution of lime had been adopted on the 
Chetwynd estate, and specimens of timbers used in the roofs of 
buildings upwards of a quarter of a century ago, exhibiting an 
absence of all decay from fungoid action or animal destruction, 
having been laid before the Enclosure Commissioners, they inti- 
mated their disposition to accept with equal readiness home- 
grown timber so prepared, or foreign timber as ordinarily used, 
if the trees selected for the purpose appeared suitable and of 
sufiicient age, to their insjiector, Mr. C. Selby Bigge. Such being 
found to be the case, Mr. Bigge reported accordingly ; and as he 
has taken great interest in the matter, it is to be hoped he will 
