Page:Timber and Timber Trees, Native and Foreign.djvu/338

318 often left to sink by their own weight into soft earth, where they absorb a large amount of moisture. All logs, therefore, as they are brought in, unless stacked at once, should be blocked or skidded off the ground, as a temporary measure; it involves little trouble, and will amply repay the cost of labour.

In stacking timber the following suggestions may be useful:—

First. Let the skidding as a rule be placed as nearly as possible level both ways, and in no case allow the upper side of it to be less than 12 inches distant from the ground; it will then necessarily follow that, whether the stacking ground be level or upon the hill-side, there will be ample space for ventilation under the timber to be piled thereon.

Secondly. Let the butt-ends of the logs be placed to the front, and keep the back or top ends of each tier slightly higher than the butts, for facility in withdrawing them from the stack.

Thirdly. Let the skidding over each tier of logs be level, and place short blocks under it, as packing pieces 1½ or 2 inches in thickness upon every log; the advantage of this is, that by removing the packing pieces any log in the tier, between the two layers of skidding, may be withdrawn from the stack without disturbing the remainder.

Fourthly. If the timber to be stored cannot be placed in a permanent shed, it should, with the view to its preservation, have a temporary roof placed over it. The size of the stack should therefore be considered in setting it out, limiting the breadth or span to about 25 or 30 feet.

Fifthly. Let each tier as it rises be set back 6. to 8 inches, to enable the converter to get over it without a