5 % 
SHIP TIMBER. 
On the dura- 
bility and me- 
lioration of 
timber for na- 
val construc- 
tions. 
On the next day I proceeded to verify the facts before a 
well-attended Board of Agriculture, consisting of several 
members of both Houses of Parliament, who expressed a 
lively interest on the occasion : the following is the substance 
of a minute made by the president at the time. 
Board of Agriculture, June 2 , 1812 . 
The Board adjourned to examine some experiments made by 
Captain Layman, on the preparation of forest trees for imme- 
diate use on being felled, by which the specific gravity is di- 
minished, and the sap (or embryo) wood rendered useful, as 
well as the strength and duration of the timber considerably 
increased. The following is the result, from pieces one foot 
in length and one inch square. 
1. Poplar (Lombardy) cut from a tree in a growing state, 
broke with 3361b. 
2. Poplar (Lombardy) counterpart piece of ditto, prepared , 
in three hours bore 3681b*. 
3. Seasoned English oak broke with 784lb. 
4. Seasoned English oak, prepared , bore 902lb. 
i( This piece, when broken, proved to be naturally defective 
internally ; but a sound piece, prepared by Captain Layman, 
appeared to have sustained 10071b.” 
5. Sap or embryo wood of oak , prepared and preserved, bore 
9301b. 
Q. Counter part piece of ditto, in its natural state, broke 
with 5361b. 
7. Common white deal, in its natural state, broke with 
339lb. 
8. Counter part piece, prepared and preserved , bore 508lb. 
Note. Specimens were produced by Captain Layman to the 
Board, of the matter producing the decomposition of wood. 
On the 23d of July following, I made experiments at the 
Navy office. 
No. 1. Dry rot timber (Canada oak) of the Queen Char- 
lotte, as received from the Navy Board, July 18, 1812. 
* This experiment was made to show in how short a time wood 
could be prepared for use from a growing tree ; but a young standing 
Weymouth pine, which was experimented upon with a view to masting 
timber, and which was three days in preparing, had not only its 
weight reduced, buf its strength increased from 243 to 450. 
2. Ditto, 
