Timber: An Elementary Discussion of the Characteristics and Properties of Wood

Filibert Roth

Jan 1895 · Department of Agriculture, Forestry Division

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"I have the honor to transmit herewith for publication a brief but comprehensive discussion of the characteristics and properties of wood in general and of our American timbers in particular, which it is hoped may be useful to engineers, architects, carpenters, lumbermen, and all wood workers. The paper was prepared by Mr. Filibert Roth, in charge of the investigations in timber physics. Although much of the information contained in this bulletin exists in the experience of practical woodworkers and in books in other languages, it has never before been published in English is systematic and accessible form and with special application to American timbers. Such a publication can not, of course, exhaust any part of this great subject. It is desired that it may be followed by a more elaborate treatise when additional knowledge has been gained through the investigations now in progress. The information it contains is largely based on actual experiment and scientific observation, and will, it is hoped, not only explain the experiences of the practical worker with his material, but will remove erroneous notions, and thus aid in improving the practice and lead to a more rational use of our forest resources."--Letter of Transmittal, Page [i].