26 
BULLETIN 1037, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
size and kind of material. 17 When sufficiently dry, shipments in 
closed box cars will suffer little or no loss from sap-stain or mold. 
In all cases where air seasoning is resorted to, unless great care is 
exercised in providing for ample circulation of air through the stock 
by such means as open piling, fungous and insect troubles are likely 
to develop. It is absolutely necessary to strip or cross pile the stock 
upon dry foundations. For purposes of stripping, kiln-dried or 
chemically treated strips 1 inch wide and at least 1 inch thick should 
be used between 
All sheds 
courses. 
for the storage of 
this material should 
be dry and well ven- 
tilated. 
KILN DRYING. 
By far the most 
effective and quickest 
method of treating 
green stock, as a pro- 
phylactic measure, to 
destroy fungi or in- 
sects and to reduce 
shipping weight, is 
to subject the ma- 
terial to proper kiln 
drying. When pro- 
ducers are equipped 
with, or have access 
to, modern kilns op- 
erated on a scientific basis and are so situated that stock can be 
moved rapidly, less concern need be given to fungous troubles. Kiln- 
dried spokes can be bundled or close piled in dry warehouses or in 
ordinary box cars and shipped without loss. 
Material kiln dried directly from the saw has been shown to be 
just as good as air-seasoned stock (Tiemann, 51, p. 300) and in many 
cases much better as far as strength, toughness, and freedom from 
defects are concerned. Moreover, the time necessary for seasoning 
can often be reduced from one year to three weeks or from three to 
five years to as many months. 
Fig. 7. — Split billets piled in a box car. When occasional 
billets are used as crossers and the doors of the car are 
cleated open this type of spoke stock suffers but little 
while in transit. 
17 The reader is again referred to Department Bulletin No. 552 (7) for information con- 
cerning the seasoning of wood. 
