Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1846-01-29
AMERICAN INSTITUTE.

JANUARY 6, 1876.
r. S. Livingston, Esq, made the written COM
muncatiOn on the proper season for telling timber
For the last fifteen years my practice has been
to cut wood for timber and farming purposes, IN the
spring and beginning ofsummer. believe that when
wood is cut at these times and stripped of It's bark
it is not only tougher but stronger, than when cut
in the winter; carriage makers prefer it for spokes
know that the prevailing opinion is, that wood
should be cut in February, when there is said to be
the least quantity Of sap in the trees, if soldh and
durability be required. 1t was formerly my opinion.
Experience and observation have led me to doubt
| it. Experiments made 10 ascertain when there is
most sap in trees, have believe, settled it, that
there is as much in lcinter as in summer. Every
farmer knows, that wood stripped Of its bark, i'm
mediately, after being ieed, seasons very rapidly
if exposed to the rays of the sun. Wood cut in
winter cannot be stripped Of its bark, it must be
cut and hewed off, and this operation is attended
with good deal of expense. The sooner wood
stripped of its bark is housed, the better. It will
season slower but more uniformly and perfectly /;
there will be few or no air cracks. In Holland the
practice has been for many years past to cut timber
in summer, formerly in winter; but as a general
rule IN Europe, they cut in winter; yet in several
of the Royal forests they cut in summer at the
present time, having found Jas it is said that timber
seasons more perfectly when the sap is thin, as it
always is in summer, than when thick, as it is in
winter.
Respectfully submitted,
r. S. LIVINGSTON.
Henry MeigS Esq,
January 5, 1916.
Col. Edtoard Ciark-The opinion formerly en-.
tertained that sap remained IN trees during
winter The starch contained in sap becomes con-
verted to saccharine in the progress of growth and
is ultimately consumed in forming the albuTnen.
| Mr.. .neigS Read the foowing:-
| GROWTH OF TREES.
There are two different processes in the growth
of trees. One is by the continual addition to the
tree on its outside, of woody fbre--ths is called
by the Greek name Exogeg-that is generated ex
ternally. The other is termed Endogen-or gen
Grated internally. The Exogens are those in which
the successive layers of fibre arc marked in con-
centric circles each of which is formed in one year.
The other, the Endogen, grows IN manner quite
opposite to this. 1t commences growth from
pthy STEM Bamboos and Palms are of the endo-
genous kind.
COL Ciark-The sap vessels adjacent to the pth
become closed in some cases and hence decay and
hollow Tree.
President T'aiipndge--Those who contend for
the cutting trees when full Of sap must pursue the
plan of housing them after being feed, tor if left
exposed 10 the influence Of weather. decay is cor
tain. When safe under cover, the timber may be
preserved. In the spring OF the year. sap is very
watery, but as the season advances, it becomes
more thick, and gummy. If Aexbility Of the tim
Der is desired, it is probably best 10 cut 1t IN the
spring, while the sap IL thin and wa'ery Some