40 
Indian Forest Records. 
[VOL. IX 
If this wood is converted before the logs have been allowed to 
season and split, very good results may be obtained. Storage in the 
form of logs and girdling increases the risk of damage by borers. 
(39) Litsoea polyantha (Appendix I — 39). Buxa Division, Bengal. 
Insects and fungi rather seriously damaged this wood during 
seasoning. Cracking, splitting, and twisting were negligible in com- 
parison. Borer attack was present in the timber under each method 
of seasoning. This was identified as that of “ beehole borers ” work- 
ing in the living trees, so that the method of seasoning had little 
effect. jMuch of the timber was badly damaged by white ants. Decay 
and discoloration were present to a serious extent in cases where the 
logs were held for several months before conversion. 
Green conversion gave considerably the best results. The colour 
of the timber was bright, and the damage by insects somewhat less 
than in the other methods. There was no decay in the timber so^ 
seasoned. 
Seasoning in the log gave the poorest results because of decay and 
insect attack. The timber seasoned in this way was practically 
unuseable. Water seasoiiing increased the surface cracking and 
splitting. 
None of the methods gave really satisfactory results, although, if 
the logs are converted immediately after felling, and if the timber is 
stacked openly and in such a manner as to reduce the liability to white 
ant attack, fairly good results should be obtained. Obviously no 
method of seasoning -will eliminate the damage done by borers in the 
living trees. 
(40) Melia Azedarach (Appendix I — 40). Lahore Division, Punjab. 
This species seasoned exceptionally well wth no defects of par- 
ticular significance. Some of the boards, particularly those sawn from 
logs which had been held for partial seasoning, were slightly split. 
There was a little surface cracking and warping but both were negli- 
gible from a practical standpoint. Neither decay nor insects had 
damaged the wood to the slightest degree. The timber under experi- 
ment was carefully protected from the sun and wind. This fact pro- 
bably explains the good results obtained. 
Green conversion resulted in more surface cracking and gave 
slightly the poorest results. Nevertheless the timber was in very 
good condition. 
Girdling reduced the surface cracking and warping to the minimum 
and gave the best general results. 
Apparently this timber may be seasoned successfully by any one of 
the four methods, providing the timber is carefully stacked and pro- 
tected from sun and dry winds. 
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