TIMBER, includes all kinds of felled and seasoned woods. Of all the different kinds, known in Europe, oak is the best for building; and even when it lies expos ed to air and water, there is none equal to it. Fir-timber is the next in degree of goodness for building, especially in this country, where they build upon leases. It differs from oak in this, that it requires not much seasoning, and therefore no great stock is required before hand. Fir is used for flooring, wainscoting, and the ornamental parts of building within doors. Elm is the next in use, especially in England and France ; it is very tough and pliable, and therefore easily worked ; it does not readily split ; and it bears driving of bolts and nails better than any other wood ; for which reason it is chiefly used by wheel-rights and coach-makers, for shafts, naves, &c. Beech is also used for many purposes ; it is very tough and white when young, and of great strength, but liable to warp very much when ex posed to the weather, and to be worm eaten when used within doors ; its great est use is for planks, bedsteads, chairs, and other household goods. Ash is like wise a very useful wood, but very scarce in most parts of Europe ; it serves hi buildings, or for any other use, when screened from the weather ; handspikes and oars are chiefly made of it. Wild chestnut-timber is by many esteemed to be as good us oak, and seems to have been much used in old buildings ; but whether these trees are more scarce at present that formerly, or have been found not to answer so well as was imagined, it is cer tain this timber is now but little used. Walnut-tree is excellent for the joiner's use, it being of a more curious brown co lour than beech, and not so subject to the worms. The poplar, abet, and aspen trees, which are very little different from each other, are much used instead of fir ; they look well, and are tougher and harder.
The goodness of timber not only de pends on the soil and situation in which it stands, but likewise on the season wherein it is felled. In this people disagree very much; some are for having it felled as soon as its fruit is ripe, others in the spring, and many in the autumn. But as the sap and moisture of timber is certain ly the cause that it perishes much sooner than it otherwise would do, it seems evi dent that, timber should be felled when there is the least sap in it, viz. from the time that the leaves begin to tall till the trees begin to bud. This work usually commences about the end of April in Eng land, because the bark then rises most freely ; for where a quantity of timber is to be felled, the statute requires it to be done then, for the advantage of tanning.
The ancients chiefly regarded the age of the moon in felling their, timber ; their rule was to fell It in the wain, or four days after the new moon, or sometimes in the last quarter. Pliny advises it to be in the very article of the change, which happen ing to be in the last day of the winter sol stice, the timber, says he, will be incor ruptible. Timber should likewise be cut when of a' proper age ; fuse when it is ei ther too young or too old, it will not be so durable as when cut at a proper age. It is said that oak should not be cut under sixty years old, nor above two hundred. Timber trees, however, should be cut in their when almost fully grown, and before they begin to decay ; and this will be sooner or later, according to the dry ness or moistness of the soil where the tim ber grows; as also according to the size of the trees ; for there is no fixed rules in felling of timber, e xperience and judgment must direct here as in most other cases.
After timber has been felled and saw ed, it must be seasoned: for which pur pose some advise it to be laid up in a very dry airy place, yet out of the wind and sun, or at least free from the extremities of either ; and that it may not decay, but dry evenly, they recommend it to be daubed over with cow-dung. It must stand upright, but lie all along, one piece over another, only kept apart by short blocks interposed, to prevent a certain mouldiness, which they are otherwise apt to contract in sweating on one another.; from which arises frequently a kind of fungus, especially if there be any sap py parts remaining. Others advise the planks of timber to be laid fiir a few days in some pool or running stream, in order to extract the sap, and afterwards to dry them in the sun or air. By this means, it is said, they will be prevented from ei ther chopping, casting, or cleaving, but against shrinking there is no remedy. Some again are for burying them in the earth, others in a heat ; and some for scorching and seasoning them in fire, es pecially piles, posts, &c. which are to stand in water or earth. The Venetians first found out the method of or charring by fire; which is done after this manner : they put the piece to be seasoned into a strong and violent flame; in this they continually turn it round by means of an engine, and take it out where it is every where covered with a black coaly crust : the internal part of the wood is thereby so hardened, that neither earth nor water can damage it Ibr a long time afterwards.