ParT'V.] Sweet; On Air Seasoning of Indian Timbers. 9^ 
a great deal of difference as to how the defects are spaced, depend- 
ing upon the size of the perfect piece to be sawn out — whether large 
pieces as for use in cabinet work- or small pieces as for bobbins. The 
really ideal method to follow is to grade the different species accord- 
ing to the principal uses to which they are to be put, or at least 
according to standard sizes to be cut out. This was entirely out of 
the question under the conditions of these experiments. However 
for further investigations along this line, which will naturally lay 
more emphasis on commercial results, this method of grading should 
be developed and made use of. 
The method followed in these experiments was to grade each piece 
according to the extent of each defect. The results, therefore, are 
of value only for comparison of methods and do not indicate the per 
cent, of damage or depreciation from a commercial point of view. 
The extent or degree of each defect in every piece under test was 
indicated in the records by assigning it to one of four classes. If a 
given defect was present, but only to a degree of from 1 to 25 per 
cent, of its possible maximum developmen,t, it was recorded imder 
Class I. If it was present to a degree of from 25 to 50 per cent, of 
its maximum development, it was recorded under Class II. Class 
III was used to indicate 50 to 75 per cent, maximum development 
and Class IV maximum development. 
It is evident that such a system of determining the degree of the 
defect is based largely on the judgment of the inspecting officer. It 
would have been possible to devise- a more accurate classification 
based on actual counts and measurements, but the time required to 
apply such methods over many large experiments would have been 
excessive and inconsistent with the general way in which the experi- 
ments were laid out. 
The extent in each piece of timber of all defects except decay, 
insect attack, mould, and discolouration was indicated in the above 
manner. The reason for not* attempting to indicate the degree of 
the latter defects lay in the fact that, inasmuch as they were par- 
tially invisible, the exact extent of damage could not be determined 
except by cutting the pieces into bits, planing the surface, etc., which 
was impossible under the circumstances. Therefore the mere pre- 
sence of these defects was recorded against the piece. 
In Divisions where, the experiments were not inspected by officers 
from Dehi’a Dun no attempt was made to indicate the degree of 
defectiveness according to the above methods; in such cases the mere 
presence of a given defect was recorded. 
{vi) Method of Summarizing Data for Comparison. 
The results of the detailed inspection have been reduced to the 
per cent, of the number of pieces under test in each case, the boards 
and scantlings being treated separately. However, the summarv of 
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