THE AIR SEASONING OF WESTERN SOFTWOOD LUMBER 25 
face. Considering all kinds of stock and all kinds of weather condi- 
tions, the box pile will undoubtedly give best seasoning results. 
Random-length lumber is usually box piled by placing one end of 
the short pieces alternately on the front and rear crosser. This 
practice tends to allow the crossers to “ weave ” somewhat and may 
result in considerable depreciation of the crossers and to some extent 
of the stock. This may, however, be avoided with little, if any, 
additional expense. The usual run of even-width stock, 10 to 16 
feet in length, contains at least 50 per cent of the latter length. By 
carrying up the two outside tiers of boards and from three to five 
interior ones, depending upon the width of the stock, with 16-foot 
boards, the rear crossers are given adequate bearing surface even 
though all of the shorter pieces be placed flush with the front of 
the pile. This permits a good box pile, but lengths longer than 16 
feet must be piled separately. 
The criticism of the box pile is sometimes made that there is 
greater liability of end checking than if 2 feet or more of the stock 
overhangs the rear crosser. The theory is that this overhang allows 
an equalization of the stresses caused by the uneven shrinkage which 
results from the more rapid drying of the end grain. But with 
proper methods of box piling end checking need not be appreciable. 
If the front and rear crossers are permitted to project beyond the 
ends of the stock, these ends are shaded from direct sunlight and 
the rate of end drying is reduced. Narrow crossers should also be 
used to reduce the area of the stock not exposed to the air. With 
these methods, which are covered fully in the later discussion of 
crossers, the end checking incident to box piling is not to be com- 
pared with the depreciation which occurs in the overhanging ends 
of the random-length pile. Such a conclusion is substantiated by 
the opinion of representative Jumbermen, observation at numerous 
plants, and the results of specific studies. 
THE MODIFIED BOX PILE 
The modified box pile is limited in use to separate-length stock 
and differs from the box type in one other particular. The rear 
crosser is placed 18 to 24 inches back from the ends of the stock. 
With the rear of the pile presenting a solid regular face and a 
maximum overhang of 2 feet, this type is far superior to the 
random-length pile. It offers greater protection to the overhanging 
ends from the weather extremes and does not permit as much de- 
formation. The lability to end checking is probably less than in 
careless box piling where wide stock is crossed with itself and the 
crossers do not project beyond the ends of stock. The modified box 
type is well adapted to seasoning even-length stock in regions where 
low humidities and excessive drying do not occur at any season of 
the year. This is particularly true with stock thicker than 4/4 
- and with the lower grades of common in which a certain amount 
of checking and slight deformation is permitted. 
THE RANDOM-LENGTH PILE 
There is entirely too much use made of the random-length pile in 
the western softwood regions. The varied-length overhang at the 
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