PREFACE. IN preparing this treatise on Dry Rot, the author has endeavoured to place in as condensed a form as was consistent with the nature of the subject, the knowledge and information dispersed through a numerous collection of writers who have treated thereon; he has also availed himself of the assistance of professional friends, builders, timber-merchants, foremen and carpenters; and, by so doing, has been enabled to record several instances of the progress and cure of dry rot. He has consulted many valuable papers published during the last thirty years, in the various professional journals in England, America, France, and Germany, upon this important subject, and has also obtained much useful information from the works of Evelyn, Nicholson, Tredgold by Hurst, Papworth, Burnell, Blenkarn, and other English writers upon timber; Silloway, of North America; Porcher, of South America; Du Hamel, De Morny, and De Lapparent, of France; and several writers whose works will be referred to. It is many years since a separate and complete work on dry rot has been published, and those who are desirous of inquiring into the matter are frequently at a loss where to obtain any information. Existing works on the subject are out of print, and although they can be seen at a few professional institutes, they are beyond the reach of the general public. It has been the aim of the author in preparing this treatise to give a fair hearing to every patentee, and he has endeavoured to be as impartial as possible in recording instances of failure and success. If he has erred in any particular case, he will be happy, should this work reach a second edition, to make any necessary correction. The reader will probably find some things repeated in the course of the work; this is in many cases unavoidable, and in some advisable; for if by a little tautology important truths can be impressed upon the mind of the reader, the author will feel that his labour in preparing this work has not been altogether in vain. Modern authorities have been relied upon in preference to ancient ones: the following sentence, written by the late Sydney Smith, is quoted as a reason for so doing: "Those who come first (our ancestors) are the young people, and have the least experience. We have added to their experience the experience of many centuries; and, therefore, as far as experience goes, are wiser, and more capable of forming an opinion than they were." 20, LIMES GROVE, LEWISHAM, May 14th, 1875. On Seasoning Timber by Natural Methods, viz. Hot and Cold Air; Fresh and Salt Water; Vapour; Smoke; Steam; Boiling; Charring On the Means of Preservation of Wooden Bridges, Jetties, Piles, Harbour Works, &c., from the Ravages of the Teredo navalis and 203 On the Destruction of Woodwork in Hot Climates by the Termite or On the Causes of Decay in Furniture, Wood Carvings, &c.; and the Means of Preventing and Remedying the Effects of such Decay 262 A TREATISE ON DRY ROT IN TIMBER. CHAPTER I. ON THE NATURE AND PROPERTIES OF TIMBER. In considering the subject of Timber trees, we commence with their Elementary Tissues, and first in order is the Formative Fluid, which is the sole cause of production of every tissue found in trees. It is semi-fluid, and semitransparent, and in this condition is found abundantly between the bark and the wood of all trees in early spring; and thus separates those parts so as to permit the bundles of young wood to pass down from the leaves, and thus enable the tree to grow. It is under these conditions that the woodman strips the bark from trees which are to be cut down, since then it does not adhere to the wood. The first step in the formation of any tissue from the formative fluid is the production of a solid structureless fabric called Elementary Membrane, and a modification of that fabric termed Elementary Fibre. The structures which are produced from the above B |