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                           SEASONING OF WOOD

               A TREATISE ON THE NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL
                 PROCESSES EMPLOYED IN THE PREPARATION
                      OF LUMBER FOR MANUFACTURE,
                   WITH DETAILED EXPLANATIONS OF ITS
                 USES, CHARACTERISTICS AND PROPERTIES


                            _ILLUSTRATIONS_
                                  BY
                           JOSEPH B. WAGNER
                         AUTHOR OF "COOPERAGE"


                            [Illustration]


                               NEW YORK
                        D. VAN NOSTRAND COMPANY
                             25 PARK PLACE
                                 1917


                          COPYRIGHT, 1917, BY
                        D. VAN NOSTRAND COMPANY


                          THE.PLIMPTON.PRESS
                          NORWOOD.MASS.U.S.A




                                PREFACE


The seasoning and kiln-drying of wood is such an important process in
the manufacture of woods that a need for fuller information regarding
it, based upon scientific study of the behavior of various species at
different mechanical temperatures, and under different drying
processes is keenly felt. Everyone connected with the woodworking
industry, or its use in manufactured products, is well aware of the
difficulties encountered in properly seasoning or removing the
moisture content without injury to the timber, and of its
susceptibility to atmospheric conditions after it has been thoroughly
seasoned. There is perhaps no material or substance that gives up its
moisture with more resistance than wood does. It vigorously defies the
efforts of human ingenuity to take away from it, without injury or
destruction, that with which nature has so generously supplied it.

In the past but little has been known of this matter further than the
fact that wood contained moisture which had to be removed before the
wood could be made use of for commercial purposes. Within recent
years, however, considerable interest has been awakened among
wood-users in the operation of kiln-drying. The losses occasioned in
air-drying and improper kiln-drying, and the necessity for getting the
material dry as quickly as possible after it has come from the saw, in
order to prepare it for manufacturing purposes, are bringing about a
realization of the importance of a technical knowledge of the subject.

Since this particular subject has never before been represented by any
technical work, and appears to have been neglected, it is hoped that
the trade will appreciate the endeavor in bringing this book before
them, as well as the difficulties encountered in compiling it, as it
is the first of its kind in existence. The author trusts that his
efforts will present some information that may be applied with
advantage, or serve at least as a matter of consideration or
investigation.

In every case the aim has been to give the facts, and wherever a
machine or appliance has been illustrated or commented upon, or the
name of the maker has been mentioned, it has not been with the
intention either of recommending or disparaging his or their work, but
has been made use of merely to illustrate the text.

The preparation of the following pages has been a work of pleasure to
the author. If they prove beneficial and of service to his
fellow-workmen he will have been amply repaid.

                                                      THE AUTHOR.

    September, 1917




                               CONTENTS


                               SECTION I

                                TIMBER
                                                                   PAGES

Characteristics and Properties of Same--Structure
of Wood--Properties of Wood--Classes of Trees                        1-7

                              SECTION II

                           CONIFEROUS TREES

Wood of Coniferous Trees--Bark and Pith--Sapwood and Heartwood--The
Annual or Yearly Ring--Spring- and Summer-Wood--Anatomical
