THE TIMBER INDUSTRY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVII, Issue 2411, 17 January 1895, Page 2

THE TIMBER INDUSTRY.

ARTIFICIAL SEASONING. According to: a cable from Sydney, which appeared in Tuesday’s issue of the Times; the New South Wales Government has granted a site at Balmain for tho purpose of erecting works for seasoning ‘timber to be sent to tho European market. The message stated that it had been decided to adopt the Reisser process, by which timber can be perfectly seasoned in jffirce 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 tho process. Some of them considered, that artificial seasoning—at least tlio methods which have been used up to the’ present has not been a success. ,There. is evidently a convict of opinion - on this point, as one gentleman informed us that the greater part of the woods which come hero from the United States are artificially seasoned,' and yet it is well known that these aro not deteriorated in quality! There are various artificial methods for seasoning timber which are more or loss successful, but "the. majority are too expensive ■ for general application, as in many cases the quantity to be operated on must necessarily-ba limited. The object of seasoning is to expel the sap. One effect of seasoning is to roduoe 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 iminersing tho timber in water for some time, so that the sap is washed out. Immersion in salt water has the effect of making tho 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 rot than that treated in the ordinary way, but theproooss is expensive, and, furthermore, the wood becomes discoloured, which makes it unsuitable for many purposes. The hot-air method of seasoning, which occupies only a few weeks, is also expensive. Tlus priioess is hot suitable for the' treatment of heavy logs, as, in consequence of tiipher hoing a bad condu’ctoi of neat, the Outside woifld bo completely whilst : tlio centre wquld bo only slightly affected. tfofJeUfia iqethod. which j?as been in operation for sonje years, consists in subjecting the wood, in a brick chamber, to a moderate beat 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. ■ - - . 1