Robert Dickson

A Lecture on the Dry Rot, and on the Most Effectual Means of Preventing It Robert Dickson

A Lecture On The Dry Rot, And On The Most Effectual Means Of Preventing It - By Robert Anderson - 1837 - A LECTURE - THE utility of timber, when employed in the construction .of edifices and other arts of Iife, is greatly lcssened by its perishable nature. Another unfavorable point in its chracter is, that it cannot be taken Iike the metaI from the mine, and subjected to a fe,.rv manipulations or processes, generally speedily performed, and then appIied immediately to the purpose for which it is intended. In all cases where wood is wished to. be aurable,,it must be submitted to processes which have hitherto been tedious, and attended I with the loss of capital, thus rendered inactive during the years which were required for their completion. These processes are termed seasoning and drying which are accomplished either by the natural powers of the air, to take up, and carry off superfluous moisture from any body which wilI readily part with it, or by immersing the timber in water, which dissalves out the nucous and other viscid soluble principles which have a tendency to retain much of the moisture, and thus permit the more speedy evaporation of the watery part, upon the removal of the timber to a dry atmosphere, where there is a free circulation of air, by which the process is expedited or, to render it still more expe- ditious, recourse is had to boiling or steaming, the higher temperature rendering the solution of many of the principles more easy. Of all these Veans steaming appears to be that which facilitates the process to the greatest degree, the seasoning going on..............