Part V.] Sweet; On Air Sea$oning of Indian Timbers. 
69 
For the softer species, such as Bombax vialabaricum, Trewia 
nudiflora and Sterculia villosa, which are especially liable to stain 
and mould in the moist regions, the practice of end piling the boards 
on edge against a frame consisting of a horizontal centre pole supported 
from the ground at a sufficient height to support the pieces to be 
seasoned is recommended. If the pieces are piled in this way for a 
month or so after conversion, so that they are subjected to a free 
circulation of air, the surface of the wood is permitted to dry quickly 
and is therefore less liable to stain and decay. The boards should 
then be re-piled in horizontal piles under cover for complete seasoning-. 
(Hi) Piling practice. 
The actual method of piling lumber or converted timbers during 
seasoning has much to do with the results obtained, inasmuch as 
poor, uneven piling results in crooked, ttvisted pieces. Wood while 
green is plastic and if piled on uneven foundations between crooked 
crossers -will conform to the unevenness and when dry will retain the 
misshapes. If the methods of piling used by most of the forest officers 
in connection -with these experiments are any indication of common 
practice in India, or of the general appreciation of the importance 
of these items, it must be concluded that the greatest stress sRould 
be laid on these details. The practice of piling lumber for seasoning 
on any convenient logs, whether sound or decayed, straight or crooked, 
or upon stumps or stones throwm down for foundations must be 
strongly condemned. Equal emphasis must be laid upon the use of 
stickers or crossers in laying up the piles to separate the layers of 
boards or scantlings. Specially prepared and selected strips are 
decidedly preferable to sticks of unequal length, thickness, and -width 
■which may be readily picKed up. Scraps of -wood picked up for the 
purpose are almost sure to be partially decayed and therefore a ready 
carrier of decay into the sound timber. 
Crossers of improper dimensions cover too much of the surface of 
the wood to be seasoned with the result that an area of slow drying 
wood is established at the point of contact, in which fungi and 
insects find a favourable w'orking place. It was brought out very 
clearly in these experiments that, w’here crossers had been selected 
carelessly -without heed to their size and bearing on the timber, both 
decay and insect attack caused excessive depreciation in the timber 
in contact with the crossers. The use as crossers of narrow boards 
from those to be seasoned (crib piling) is to be condemned on the 
same score, i.e., that there is too large an area of contact between 
the boards and crossers. 
(a) Foundations. — The. foundations upon which the piles are 
placed, either in the open yard or under sheds, must be such as to 
elevate the pile approximately 18" in order to give a free circulation 
of air under the pile and to lift the lumber above the dirt and accumu- 
lation of rubbish on the ground. They must be sufficiently firm and 
solid to prevent sagging of the pile and to provide an even bearing 
[ 215 0 
