
THE AIR, SEASONING OF WESTERN SOFTWOOD LUMBER 53 
illustrate this in a concrete manner. In California the average cost 
of carrying the investment in lumber while drying in the yard is 
about 32 cents per thousand feet, and the insurance and taxes on this 
lumber call for an additional 28 cents per thousand feet or a total of 
60 cents. These costs for the redwood region, due to the prolonged 
drying period, amount to $2.18 and $0.54, respectively, or a total of 
$2.72. This means a cost of $2.12 per thousand in excess of that in 
the pine territory. Certainly this alone is a sufficient margin to 
justify considerable expense per thousand in improvement of air- 
seasoning methods. 
A rather usual contention is that the lack of available space makes 
crowded yards unavoidable and prohibits the adoption of more open 
| 
_24e7|_FicToR HOH) DEG 
: COMPARATIVE MONTHLY WEATHER COND/7/ONS 
AVERAGE DRIVING PELLIDES FOR L4 STUK PULLD 1 LUPECEMT HUWTHE 70 REAL [5 PER CENT HUTTE CUTE 
al ee A a ae eS 
APLREOVMATE AA OSTURE CONTENT OF THOCHMG (UY LU?-LfPY STICK Be LON TALS. 
FER CENT 
LZ \MUSTURE CONTENT Z4Z\ ZE\| 22?\ 70O| 78\ /6\ 45 \ 75) S6\77| 7P\ 2 
AVERAGE PUCK P OF MIOSTLIAE FEY '}L0CD STOCK AT O1FFERLIVT SLASONS 
wool s |+\~|~|-|-|-] -| |e |e | 
Fic. 9.—Graphiec air-seasoning chart for the redwood region 




PER CEN 7 
RELATIVE 
H1L14/ 0/7 
OF? 
TEMPERATURE 
c= 







——_—/FELATIVE HUMIDITY MONTHLY MEAN 
30 <== FEMPERATURE-MONTHLY MEAN 






piling. Some plants have very definite limitations to yard extension, 
it is true, but even at these plants the possibility of more rapid dry- 
ing and consequent faster overturn of stocks will often warrant better 
practice. Another defense of current practice is to the effect that, 
since only stock piled in the spring and early summer will be dry 
enough to ship prior to the next spring, there is little use of better 
piling methods. This argument loses weight, however, when it is 
considered that the length of the average drying period can be 
greatly reduced by improvements in drying practice. 
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT 
The protracted drying period and unsuitable final moisture con- 
tent are of major importance, and reduction of checking and cupping 
should not be overlooked. The natural drying influences should be 
