VI.] 
SELECTION OF TIMBER. 
39 
The following remarks on the selection of timber, 
&c., may be useful :— 
In selecting timber, the surveyor’s attention will 
naturally be given to an examination of the butt or root 
end, which should be close, solid, and sound ; and if 
satisfied in this respect, the top should next be in¬ 
spected, to see that it corresponds with the butt-end. 
Afterwards he will glance over the exposed sides in 
search of defects, carefully examining the knots, if any, 
to see that they are solid. He will, of course, avoid 
any piece that has either heart, cup, or star-shake, or 
sponginess near the pith at the butt, discoloured wood 
at the top, splits along the sides, rind-gall, worm holes, 
or hollow or decayed knots. 
In dealing with spar-timber, he will select the 
straightest pieces; they should be free from all the 
defects before mentioned, upsets, i.e., fibres crippled by 
compression, large knots, and even those of moderate 
size if they are numerous or situate ring-like round the 
stick. Spar-timber should be straight-grained. 
As planks, deals, &c., depend for their usefulness 
upon both quality and manufacture, the surveyor will 
not only see that they are free from excess of sap, knots 
shakes, and shelliness upon their sides, but also that 
they are evenly cut and fit for use of their thickness. 
Bright-looking timber is better in quality than dull, 
and that which is smooth in the working better than the 
rough or woolly-surfaced. 
The heart of trees having the most sap-wood, is 
generally stronger and better in quality than the heart 
of trees of the same species, that has little sap-wood. 
