Results of the Experiments made on the Strength of Larch Timber, received at Woolwich Yard in the Year 1808, and proceeding from the Estate of his Grace the Duke of ATHOLL, in Scotland, compared with Riga Fir Timber, and American White Pine. Experiments. Quality. How long kept in Store. Length. time of Size. Experi tens to which the after the removal Half One ment. weights were hundred hundred affixed. weight. weight. of the weight. Larch...... The average and relative strength of the three species will therefore stand as under; viz. Riga, dry 1 0 7 American White Pine, wet 1 10 Years. Larch. Outside 6 American 8 6 02 x 2 6 Pine, wet ... The above experiments were tried in the presence of Captain Bayntun, R. N., and the first was also witnessed by his Grace the Duke of Atholl, Commissioners Peake and Thomson, George Yeats, Esq. &c. &c. J. LE BARRALLIER. JOHN PEAKE. Results of Experiments, on the transverse Strength of Timber, made at Mr. Atkinson's, Grove End, St. John's Wood, on Thursday, March 12th, 1818. The pieces were each an inch square, except No. 3., which was only 8-10ths of an inch in breadth. The numbers in the Table show the weights it would have borne if it had been an inch square; the pieces were supported at each end, and were loaded by putting 5 lbs. at a time into a scale suspended from the middle; - the distance between the supports 30 inches. Compar. extensibility -or the space through which the middle had bent at the time of fracture Weight of a cubic foot of each kind 2.25inch. 3 inches. [2.75 inch. 2.5 inches 14 inch. 1.3 inch. As the strength of small pieces depends much on the position of the annual rings, the pieces were placed as nearly alike in this respect as possible. When the pieces were in the position in which they were broke, the dark lines or portions of the annual rings that in the section of a piece were vertical. appear From the results exhibited in the preceding Table, it appears very clearly, that Larch is best adapted to resist the force of a body in motion; but to leave no doubts in this respect the following experiments were made. Experiments on the Resilience of Timber. The pieces were each an inch in depth, and laid upon supports thirty inches apart. The weight fell between two vertical guides (similar to a pile engine), upon the middle of the piece. No. 11 was a dark-coloured and apparently very strong piece of wood; specific gravity 0.872 or 544 lbs. per cubic foot.* On the whole, then, it appears, that Larch is superior to oak in stiffness, in strength, and in the power of resisting a body in motion (called resilience): and it is inferior to Memel or Riga timber in stiffness only. Grove End, March 16, 1818. I am, Sir, yours, &c. THOMAS TREDGOLD. These experiments were made in the presence of His Grace the Duke of Atholl, Lord Prudhoe, Lord James Murray, John Deas Thomson, Esq., William Adair, Esq., Mr. Geo. Bullock, and Mr. Atkinson, architect to the Ordnance. INDEX. ACACIA, i. 39. By whom introduced, 42. Use of the timber, 44. Where to be planted, 45. How propagated, 68. How propagated, 47. Where to be planted, 63. Alexander the Great, anecdote of, ii. 262. America, the importance of the discovery, ii. 64. Its effect on the system of botany, i. 41. Amiability, the emblem of, i. 309. Apollo's temple by whom robbed, i. 110. Arbor vitæ, i. 51. Great quantity at Père la Chaise, 54. Use Arbutus, i. 69. Its ancient name, 70. Its flowers adapted to Ash, i. 79. Fabulous account of, 80. Used for spears, ib. 95. weeping, i. 95. Aspen, i. 102. Its tremulous nature accounted for, ib. Superstition respecting, 103. Use of the timber, 104. Bachelor, the origin of the name of, i. 114. Bay, i. 106. Why named laurus, 107. Superstition respect- tree at Virgil's tomb, 117. Situation, 118. How pro- Beauty, the emblem of, ii. 149. Birch, i. 123. Origin of the name, 124. Natural climate, wine, 130. Bird cherry, i. 134. Bladder senna, i. 138. Use of the fruit, 136. Good to fatten sheep, 140. Medicinal quality, ib. Native soil, 141. Bond of love, the emblem of, i. 294. Botany, the pleasure of this study, i. 72. 271. Box-tree, i. 144. Native soil, 145. Use of the wood, 146. Broom, i. 151. Situation, 153. Uses of, 156. Medicinal Butcher's broom, ii. 309. 311. Cassine, evergreen, i. 291. Natural history of, 310. Qualities, Cedar of Lebanon, i. 162. Planted by the Jews, 164. An- Chaste love, the emblem of, i. 41. Churches, why decorated with holly at Christmas, i. 281, Clematis. See Virgin's Bower. Clipping of trees, by whom introduced, i. 302. -, by whom ridiculed, i. 304. Cornel, i. 179. tuation, 185. Ancient and modern use of, 182. 184. Si- Cornelian cherry, i. 185. The fruit described, 187. |