6 BULLETIN 1136, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
as a unit just as are those of the shell. To secure fully satisfactory 
results, the weights should be taken with an accuracy close to 0.01 
gram. : , 
Figure 1 illustrates the method of cutting the moisture and the 
distribution sections. While recommended practice is to cut both a 
full section and a distribution section whenever a distribution test 
is to be made, it is not absolutely necessary, since the average mois- 
ture content may be secured with reasonable accuracy from the dis- 
MOIS TUPE 
SECTION SHELL AND CORE _ SHELL, COPE, AND 
QISTAIBUYTION SECTION SNTEPMEDIATE ZONE 
OISTSIEBUTION SECTION 
Figure 1.—Method of cutting sections from a piece of wood for moisture-content and 
moisture-distribution determinations 
tribution section alone by assuming the combined original weights 
of all the pieces to be the original weight of the section, and simi- 
larly with the dry weight. The entire calculation may for example 
be as follows: 
Shell 
Original weight=60 Oven-dry weight=50 
Moisture = _ = 20 per cent 
Core 
Original weight=100 Oven-dry weight=80 
9 
Moisture= See = 25 per cent 
Section 
Original weight=160 Oven-dry weight =130 
Moisture = Sa 23.1 per cent 
130 
