246 
TIMBER AND TIMBER TREES. [chap. 
best, good, or common middling, but is placed upon the 
market unsorted, and without any particular distinguish¬ 
ing brand upon it. 
The selected spars generally come to us in a round 
state, under the name of Hand-masts. These are classed 
by the brackers at Riga alphabetically A to N, accord¬ 
ing to their size, the smallest being A, or 6 hands ; that 
is to say, it measures 6 hands of 4 inches each, or 24 
inches in circumference, taken at 4 feet in length from 
the butt-end of the spar: the largest being N, or 
18 hands, or 72 inches in circumference. The lengths 
of these two sizes are respectively 36 and 74 feet. 1 he 
following very plain rule prevails by which the estab¬ 
lished length to the number of hands is calculated, viz., 
rough spars for masts, of 6 to 9hands, the number of 
hands multiplied by 3, and 18 added, gives the length 
in feet ; and spars of 10 to 18 hands, multiplied by 3, 
and 20 added, gives the length in feet; there being a 
small proportional increase of length required for vessels 
carrying the larger sizes. 
The straightest and best spars have simply the bark 
taken off them, and the knots dressed smoothly, with 
perhaps a few feet in length at the butt-end hewn, to 
remove the swelling which often occurs at the base of 
the tree. Beyond this, owing to their generally fair and 
even growth, very little is required, and, as the alburnum 
or sap upon this description of timber is not usually 
more than about 1 inch in thickness, the waste sustained 
in their conversion into masts is altogether insignificant. 
These Riga spars (their generally small and medium 
sizes being considered) are about the best to be met 
with, and are in great favour with the mast-makers of 
the royal dockyards, though somewhat less so in the 
private trade. 
