74 
Indian Forest Records. 
[VOL. IX 
The effect of the time of year of felling and girdling upon the 
liability to insect attack is treated in Chapter X — Damage to Timber 
by Insects. 
(li) CONVERSIOX. 
Success in seasoning timber in India by natural methods depends 
to a large extent upon the time of year that the logs are converted, 
that is, with respect to the seasons of atmospheric moisture and 
dryness. Eefractorj" woods should be converted at the time when the 
atmospheric conditions are least conducive to I’apid drying, i.e., during 
the rainy season or as soon after as possible, so that they will have 
several months of slow seasoning before the hot, diy weather comes 
on. Soft, non-durable woods should be converted when the atmos- 
pheric conditions are such that the surface of the wood is dried 
quickly before the fungi spores can develop, i.e., well after the rainy 
season has passed. 
Although the experiments thus far carried out have not furnished 
definite figures on the subject because of the variables that were 
involved, it is logical to conclude that considerable depreciation can 
be prevented by heeding these principles. It is the experience ot 
those accustomed to the conversion of Indian woods that it is impossi- 
ble to convert- certain species in the hot season without excessive 
cracking before the wood can be seasoned, and that, at other seasons, 
the same kinds of wood can be converted and seasoned \\dth little or 
no damage. 
The use of seasoning kilns in which the atmospheric conditions can 
be maintained and regulated according to the requirements of the 
timber to be seasoned is the most effective means of eliminating the 
necessity of converting only at certain seasons of the year. The use 
of seasoning sheds in which the conditions can be controlled within 
certain limits is of marked effectiveness also. 
