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Show 178 A Difcourfe of Foreft- Trees. Chap,XXXI, To thefe we might add feverall more, as they are defcribed by Beffon, Ramelli, Canfe, and others; as likewife Cranes and Machines for the eafier Elevation, Moving , and Tranfporting of Timber , but they are now become familiar, and therefore I omit them. A Difcourfe of Foreft-Trees. the Water-/eafoning is of efpecial regard, and in fuch eftcem amongft fome , that] am affur'd the Venetians for their Provifionin the Arfenal, lay their Oak {omeyearsin it, before they employit. Elm fell'd never fo greex for fuddain wf, if plung’d four orfive dayes in water ( efpecially Salt, whichis beft) obtains an admirable feafening, and may immediately be usd. Some again commend buryings inthe Earth ; othersin wheats and there be feafon- ings of thefrre, as for the {corching and hardning of Péles which are to {tand eitherin the water, or the earth ; CHAP. XXXI. —— The Oke Explore, fufpended in the Chimney {moke, Of Timber the Seafoning and Ufes, and of Fuel. Seafoning. Chap. XXXI. Ex fufpenfa focis explores robora fumus: For that to moft Timber it contributes much to its duration. Thus C lace it is certain and Demonftrable that all Arts and Artifans wwhatfoever, muft faile and ceafe, if there were no Timber and Wood ina Nation (for he that hall take his Pe , and begin to fet downwhat Art, Aflerie, or Trade belonging any way to human life, could be maintain’d and exercis’d without Wood, will quickly find that I fpeak no Paradox) I fay , when this fhall be well conffder'd, it willappear , that wehad better be without Gold, than without Timber : This contemplation, and the univerfal #/é of that precious Material ( which yetis not of univerfal ue *rillit be duly prepar’d) has mov’d meto defigna folemn Chapter for the feafoning as well as to mention fome farther particular Applications ofit. We have before fpoken concerning fome preparations offlandiag Trees defign'd for Timber, by a half-cutting , disbarking , and the feafons of drawing, and ufingit. 2. Lay up your Timber very dry, in an airy place (yet out of the Windor Sun) and not ftanding upright, but lying along one piece uponanother, interpofing fome fhort blacks between them , to preferve themfroma certain mouldineffe whichtheyufually contract while they fireat, and whichfrequently produces a kind of fungus, efpeciallyif there be any /appy parts remaining. 3. Some there are yer, who keeptheir Timber as moilt-as they can, by fubmergingitin Water, where theylet it imbibe to hinder thecleavéngsandthis is good in Fir,both for the better ftripping and feafoning ; yea, and not onelyin Fir, but other Tivber : lay therefore your Boards a Fortnight inthe uv ater,and then fetting them up- right in the Suz and Wind, {o asit mayfreelypafle through them, ( elpecially during the heatsof Sammer, whichis the time offini. thing Buildixgs)) turn them daily; and thus treated, even newly fawn Boards, will Floorfar better than a many years dry Seajoming, as they callit. But to prevent al] poflible accidents, when you Jay your Floors, let the Joynts be shot, fitted, and tack’d down only for the firft year, nailing them for good and all the zext; and by this means they will lye Stanch, clofe, and without Shrinking in theleaft, as ifit were all of one piece, Among ft Wheele-W rights the doall the Elements contribute to the Art of Seafoning, The Learned Interpreter of Antonio Neris Att of Glaffé c.5. {peaking of the Difference of Vegetables, asthey are made ufeofat various feafons, obferves from the Button-mould-makers in thole woods they ule, that Pear-trees cut in Summer work tougheft, but Holly inthe VVinter, Box hardeft about Eafter , but mellow in Summer >» Haw- thorn kindly about Ofober, and Service treeinthe Summer. 4. And yet even the greerieft Timber is fometimes defirable for fuch as Carve and Turn but it choaks the teeth of our Sams 5 and for Doors, VVindows, Floors, and other clofe Works, itis altogether to be rejected efpecially, where /Val/nut-tree is the material, which will be fureto fhrink - Therefore itis beft to choofe {uch asis of two, or three years feafoning, and that is neither moift nor over-dry 5 the weazisbeft. Sir Hugh Plat informsus that theVe- netians ufe to burn, and fcorch their tiberin a flaming fire, con- unually turning itround withan Engine,till they have gottenupon itan hard, black, coaly cruft; and the Secret carries with it great probability ; for that the Wood is brought by it to fuch a hardnefle and drynefle, ut cieme omnis putrifattio incipiat ab humido, nor Earth, nor VVater canpenetrate it; I my felf remembring to have feenCharcoals dug out of the ground amongft the ruines of antient Buildings, which havein all probability lain cover'd with earthabove 1500 years. 5. Timber which is cleft, is nothing fo obnoxious to rift and cleave as what ishewen 3 nor that whichis/quar'd,as what is round: and therefore where ufe is to be made of huge and maflie Columns, Jet them be beared through from end to end; it isan excellent prefervative from {plitting, and not ##-philofophical ; though to cure this accident, the rubbing them overwitha wax-cloth is good, Painters Putty, @c. or before it be converted , the {mearingthe tiber over with Cow-dung , which prevents the ef. fects both of Sux and Air uponit ; if of neceflityit muft lye expos'd : Butbefidesthe former remedies, I find tha, for the clofing of the chops andclefts of Green timber , to anoint and fuppleic with the fat of powder'd beef-broth , with which it mutt ie? we |