UTILIZATION OF ASH. 25 
especially in the green condition, and is much the toughest. It 
showed a remarkable gain in crushing and bending strength as a 
result of seasoning, and in shock-resisting ability ranks well with the 
denser species. With but few exceptions, the shrinkage of timber 
varies directly with the specific gravity. Black ash is one of these 
exceptions. It has about the same shrinkage as the best grade of 
white ash, about 25 per cent greater than would be expected for a 
species of equal specific gravity. For making baskets, hoops, and 
the like, the peculiar properties of black ash make it rank first 
among the ashes. . 
SEASONING. 
Ash lumber seasons rapidly, in this respect ranking about as fol- 
lows with the other common woods, commencing with the most 
rapid: Red spruce, white ash, red gum, yellow birch, sugar maple, 
walnut, white oak. This matter of the rate of seasoning is import- 
ant in connection with rate of increase or decrease in size of lumber 
when exposed to change in atmospheric conditions, as it is reasonable 
to assume that those woods which dry most readily are the ones which 
respond most quickly to the effects of varying conditions, which is 
not a desirable quality in wooa. i 
In shrinkage from green to oven-dry condition, white ash com- 
pares as follows with other species: 
In vol- Tangen- 
ume. Radial: tially. 
Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. 
ASe 
MOOR OM: 
INSENVAC RAR) seo Be Ss es 5 et a gS Nat NAN eM A Eg . 4.8 Te 
TBS URL (RCSA O NY ee SS ae SS oe ee ee oY 16.8 7.4 9. 
eee ca wn ne eee ee eee i e - fj aL 
ITI (HEC) oe eye eas se a ee eS ASE OR a elie ES te ee Sook 16. . 
Map ler(Guecai Pesaro ee Sita US on reeks 2S e TE ok 14.5 4.8 9. 
Oke Gyitite) pecs sett ate ste bee See Gun wee cine ise Wao jalciavs acura e 15.8 b.4ale 9. 
SS PLUCE TOT Od) terete tee er: Rees oe ares Ah RS 2 See Be 11.8 3.8 7. 
Wiahiattts (lacks) en gueee Sch xe iy SSE ein o Bees Safa w anemic eee oe 11.3 522 ie 
In a properly operated kiln, ash can be very easily kiln-dried from 
the green condition with even less checking than would occur in pre- 
liminary air seasoning; and for most uses ash is ultimately kiln- 
dried. It is doubtful whether kiln-dried ash stock would work 
(shrink and swell) more with changes of atmospheric conditions 
than that which has been air-dried and then kiln-dried. 
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES. 
Ash wood consists of a skeleton of cellulose, permeated with a, mix-— 
ture of other organic substances common to hardwoods. “One hun- 
dred pounds of wood as sold in the wood yards contains in round 
numbers 25 pounds of water, 74 pounds of wood, and 1 pound of 
74365°—Bull, 5283—-17——_4 
