THE TIMBER INDUSTRY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1194, 18 January 1895, Page 15

THE TIMBER INDUSTRY.

ARTIFICIAL SEASONING-. According' to a cable message from Sydney, which appeared in Tuesday’s issue of the Times, the New South Wales Government has granted a site at Balmain for the purpose of erecting works for seasoning timber to be sent to the European market. The message stated that it had been decided to adopt the Reisser process, by which timber can be perfectly seasoned in three weeks. In connection with this matter we have made enquiries of three of the leading timber merchants in Wellington, none of whom have ever heard of the process. Some of them considered that artificial seasoning—at least the methods which have been used up to the present has not been a success. There is evidently a conflict of opinion on this point, as one gentleman informed us that the greater part of the woods which come here from the United States are artificially seasoned, and yet it is Avell known that these are not deteriorated in quality. There are various artificial methods for seasoning timber which are more or less successful, but the majority are too expensive for general application, as in many cases the quantity to be operated on must necessarily be limited. The object of seasoning is to expel the sap. One effect of seasoning is to reduce the weight. Experts say that timber is properly seasoned when its weight is reduced by one-fifth, which makes it fit for carpenters’ work, and it is supposed to be suitable for joiners’ work when it has lost weight to the extent of one-third. Water seasoning consists in totally immersing the timber in water for some time, so that the sap is washed out. Immersion in salt water has the effect of making the wood harder and more durable, but timber treated in this manner has the drawback of being very subject to moisture. It is said that timber if steamed is less liable to dry i’ot than that treated in the ordinary way, but the process is expensive, and, furthermore, the wood becomes discoloured, which makes it unsuitable for many purposes. The hot-a ir method of seasoning, which occupies only a few weeks, is also expensive. This process is not suitable for the treatment of heavy logs, as, in consequence of timber being a bad conductor of heat, the outside would be completely seasoned, whilst the centre would be only slightly affected. McNeill’s method, which has been in operation for some years, consists in subjecting the wood, in a brick chamber, to a moderate heat in a moist atmosphere charged with various gases. The wood is rendered hard and dense by this process, and dry rot is said to be entirely prevented. Auckland, January 16.

One hundred thousand feet of sawn timber, which is to be sent Home by the Government, and for which the Kauri Timber Company’s tender was accepted, is to be shipped by the Mamari, which leaves about Friday next for London, via the South. The Kauri Timber Company are supplying 50,000 feet, and the other 50,000 they have distributed among the local mills.' The Company’s own shipment has been very carefully prepared, and it is confidently stated that no better lot of timber was ever shipped from the Colony. Both Mr Broad, the general manager, and Mr T. H. White, the mill manager, are confident of the adaptability of kauri for blocking, its great features being the

evenness with which it wears, and its lasting qualities. For several years now the Kauri Timber Company have been pushing their timber in the Home markets, and a competent man has been sent Home to work up the trade. Stocks are kept at London, Liverpool, Hull, Glasgow, Greenock and Belfast, and at the present time several large shipments are in course of preparation.