The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-06-24
When to Cut Timber.

The best time tOr'cuttlng trees to insure
the lumber the longest time from decay is a
subject that has been discussed considerably
lately by lumbermen and writers in news
papers devoted To the lumber interest. Mr..
&. W. HaslinS. who claims 10 have inveSti-
gated the subject in California pretty thor
oughly. communicates to the Oregonian his
conclusions, "a follows;
III in the cutting of the timber the main
object desired l. To preserve the stumps cut
your trees i'm the fall and winter; but If the
value of the timber i any consideration cut
your trees i'm the spring after the sap has
assembled the tree but before any growth has
begun or new wood has been formed. eX-
perimented for many years in the cutting of
timber for fencing. fence posts. etc. and with
the same results. Those which were cut in
the spring and set after being seasoned were
the most durable. such timber being much
lighter, tougher. and in all respects better
for all variety OF purposes. Having given
some little idea of the manner in which
experimental, and the conclusions arrived at
rs 10 the proper time when timber should be
cut. now propose 10 give what are, in my
opinion, the reasons why timber cut i'm the
early summer Is much better, being lighter,
tougher. and more durable than if cut at any
other time. Therefore. in order TO do this.
il l. necessary, first, To explain the nature
and value of the sap and the growth OF the
growth of the tree
We find il to he the general opinion at
present, as it perhaps has always been, among
lumbermen and those who work among tim
Der. that the sap of a tree is an evil which
must be avoided if possible, for it is this
which causes decay. and destroys the life and
good qualities OF all wood when allowed TO
remain in il for an unusual length of time.
but that this is a mistaken idea / will en-
deavOr TO show. and that the decay is due
not TO the sap. but 10 the time when the tree
is felled.
We find ny experiment i'm evaporating. a
quantity OF sap of pine that it is water hold
ing in solution substance of gummy ma
ture. being composed of albumen and other
elementary matters, which is deposited by
the water within the pores OF the wood from
the new growth Of the trees that these sub
stances in solution, which constitute the sap,
and which promote the groth of the tree.
should have a tendency To cause decay of the
wood. j. an impos>ibiity The injury results
from the water only, and the improper time
of Telling the tree.
OF the process in which the sap promotes
the growth of the tree, the scientist informs
Us that il j. extracted from the soil, and
flows up the pores of the tree, where il is de-
posted upon the fibre and by a peculiar
process Of nature the albumen forms new
cells, which in process of formation crowd
and push out from the center, thus cOnstitu-
ting the growth of the tree in all directions
from center TO circumference. Consequently
this new growth of wood, being composed
principally of albumen. is of a soft. spOngy
nature, and under the proper condition will
decay very rapidly, which can he easily
demonstrated by experiment
Hence we must infer that the proper time
for telling the tree is when the conditions
are such that the rapid decay of a new
growth of wood is impossible, and this 1
have found by experiment 10 be i'm early
summer, after the sap has assembled but be
fore any new growth OF wood has been
formed. The growth OF the previous season
i then well matured, has become hard and
firm, and will not decay.