People's Pilot, Volume 4, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 July 1894 — A Mystery Explained. [ARTICLE]

A Mystery Explained.

The problem has puzzled many why two pieces of wood sawn from the same section of tree should possess very varied characteristics when used in different positions. For example, a gate post will be found to decay much faster if the butt end of the tree is uppermost than would be the case if the top were placed in this position. The reason is that the moisture of the atmosphere will permeate the pores of the wood much more rapidly the way the trees grew than it would if in the opposite direction. Microscopical examination proves that the pores invite the ascent of moisture, while they repel its descent. Take the familiar case of a wooden bucket. Many may have noticed that some of the staves appear to be entirely saturated, while others are apparently quite dry. This arises from 6ame cause; the dry staves are in sh* same position in which the tree jjp*ew, while the saturated onv* are ruvojsed.