Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1840-02-19

whilst the BODY and branches would be
entirely free from its influence deter {
mined to carry this opinion into practice
the first opportunity that occurred.
''In 1910 / was concerned III the build
ing of small freighting ship, Of which
| was the sole conductor, from her keel
until she was completed and ready for
sea. According to my previous deter
mination, commenced the cutting of the
timber for her in the early part of Dec.
and continuing it into the first week in
January. By SO doing, l expected to
produce the very best ship for durability
on the Connecticut river, where there !
were then numerous vessels building
The timber selected was white oak and |
white chestnut.
The vessel advanced, and in April it |
was found that three of the qnarter top
timbers were wanting, and as very crook
ed pieces were required for these, I was
obliged to go into the woods and have
them cut Sometime In Nav, it was
found that the stick designed for plank
sheers this was very large and intended
10 make the whole that was wanted !
would not answer the purpose except that
It was barrel y sufficient to 60 around the
bows, the other part being badly rent,
and of course rejected. therefore went
into the woods a second time, when the
leaves were full grown and the bark
would peel, and had two thrifty white
oaks cut for the after pieces. These tim
bers were put in Immediately. and SO
were The pIank-sheers without any sea-
sonng whatever and the room between
1.-THE tlmbers above the air-streak, was
| filled with salt, which was supposed to be
a preventive against the dry rot. The
Workmanship was of the first order.
The vessel was launched and complet-
ed In Ju y 1911. That autumn she went
to sea, and after the declaration of war in
1912, she came to Midllttown and was
) laid up until the peace of 1915 In that
! spring when she was to be fitted out
: again, it was found that she must be re-
paired in her hull; and on opening her
it was perceived that the dry rot had made
such destruction among her timbers, that
1t was necessary to build her anew from
her mlddlewaie up. But the three QUAR-
ter tlmbers spoken Of which had been
cut green, were sound, and appeared new,
t although their neiohbors on each side of
, them were destroyed by the disease; and
it is a remarkable fact, that the spikes
: when pulled out Of them, were bright.
f and appeared new; but those parts of
them which came in contact with the
f outside pIanks, (Which were made from
timber cut in December,) were badly
: oxidated, so much so that they were
f reduced in size about one quarter. The
t forward planksheers which it will be
a remembered were cut in December, were
: destroyed by the disease; but the after
{ pieces were sound and dry, and on the
} under side appeared like new timber
s seasoned in the shade, and what is re-
? markable as to them is, that although
2 some of the timbers on which they rested
: were so decayed that they might be pick
ed to pieces, yet there was not the least
} appearance Of it on them, which showed
that althoug h surrounded by corruption.
! they were themselves at least up to that
} period incorruptible Thus it can be seen,
; as respects this vessel, that not only the
, season of the year, which in the popular
, opinion is the best to cuttnber in for The
purpose of making it last well. was
strictly adhered TO, but also the precau-
} tlonary measure of applying salt, which
is even at this day thought TO retard the
progress Of the disease.
Although at that time it was not tho't
necessary to repair this ship below the
mlddle-wale, yet have every reason to
believe that the poison had begun its work
IN her timber from light-water mark to
her top-side; for, in 1916 or 1917, in
perfect calm, she sank at sea, a poor,
miserable decayed hula melancholy
comment on the folly of cutting timber
tor vessels in the winter months Bv
lnqurng since, [ have always found that
of those vessels which last the longest
the timber of which they were construct
ed was cut the farhest from December
When have known the period at which
certain trees have been cut and also their
locality. have afterwards year after year
examined their stumps, and watched their
decay; and have invariably found that in
those OF them which were cut in the
winter, the disease first made its appear
ance IN the heart-wood, and continued its
raVages until that was destroyed, and up
to that period the alburnum was comnar-
atIVely sound. whilst in those which were
cut IN the summer, the disease first made
ITS appearance in the aIburnum, which in
few years entirely disappeared, whilst
the heart-wood remained aound.
There are numerous facts in the most
common transactions of life that will sus- |
tam me IN my position | believe thai /
the general practice throughout the moth.
ern and middle States is, to peel such
| trees as are 10 be manufactured int sh;a