54 Indian Forest Records. [Vol. IX 
even test as high as 24 — 26 per cent, immediately after the rainy 
season. . . 
(v) Kalimpong Division, Bengal. 
The calculations as to the moisture content of air-seasoned wood 
in the Kalimpong Division are based on 60 determinations upon four 
species, made in February, 1921. The average moisture content of 
1" boards which had been converted from green logs and stacked in 
open piles for a period of 25 months was 12‘1 per cent. There is 
every reason to believe that the boards from which these tests were 
taken were completely air-seasoned to the atmospheric conditions of 
the locality. 
Taking 12'1 (+.1'5) per cent, as the moisture content in February 
of thoroughly air-seasoned boards 1" thick, it will be observed in 
examining the figures for this Division in Appendix I that each of the 
methods has produced thoroughly air-seasoned wood of all species in 
the dimensions specified, with one exception. Girdling for eighteen 
months and seasoning in the log for three months awaiting conversion, 
followed by open stacking for three months after conversion, was not 
sufl&cient to season 1" boards of Acrocarpus fraxinifolius, although 
similar treatment was sufficient in the case of Pterospermum acerifo- 
liuni. However, this latter species, even though it was thoroughly 
air-seasoned to the conditions of an open thatch godown, developed 
small surface cracks when it was exposed to the sun after inspection. 
This fact is of significance as to the characteristics of the species and 
illustrates the point that thoroughly air-seasoned timber in this locality 
is not sufficiently seasoned to withstand exposure to direct sun. 
It is probable that Tetrameles Jixidifora and Stercnlia villosa can 
be thoroughly air-seasoned up to a thickness of two inches following 
conversion from green logs in one complete dry season, and Pteros- 
permum acerifolium and Acrocarpus fraxinifolius up to a thickness of 
1^'' in the same time. 
Timber 1'' thick and thicker which tests ]2’1 (_^ 1'5) per cent., or- 
less, between the end of the rainy season and the middle of the dry 
season may be considered thoroughly air-seasoned for this locality. 
Thoroughly air-seasoned thin boards, such as tea box shocks, may test 
24 — 26 per cent, immediately after the rainy season and from 8 — 10 
per cent, at the end of the drj' season. The difference in the rate of 
changre in the moisture content of different thicknesses of boards is 
shown in the case of and f" Tetrameles nudiflora and Sterculia 
villosa in which the moisture content was more completely in equili- 
brium with the atmospheric conditions at the time of inspection than 
was the case of the 1" Pterospermum acerifolium in which there was a 
pronounced “ lag ” due to the effect of the higher humidities prevail- 
ing during the two months preceding the inspection. Both the 
Tetrameles and the 1" Pterospermum must be considered thoroughly 
air-seasoned for the locality; the difference in moisture content being 
[ 200 0 
