Archimedes Texts

27
are drawn down, or left by the Moon in the
lowest Roots, the Rest of the Timber is clearer
and sounder. Moreover they think that the
Tree will be much more serviceable, if it is not
cut quite down immediately, but chopt round
about, and so left standing upon the Stump to
dry. And they say, that if the Fir (which is
not the most unapt to suffer by Moisture) be
barked in the Wane of the Moon, it will never
afterwards be liable to be rotted by Water.
There are some who affirm that if the Oak,
which is so heavy a Wood that naturally it
sinks in the Water, be chopt round the Bot
tom in the Beginning of Spring, and cut down
when it has lost its Leaves, it will have such
an Effect upon it, that it will float for the
Space of ninety Days and not sink. Others
advise to chop the Trees which you leave thus
upon their Stumps, half way through, that the
Corruption and bad Juices may distil through,
and be carried off. They add, that the Trees,
which are designed to be sawed or planed,
should not be cut down till they have brought
their Fruits and ripened their Seeds; and that
Trees so cut, especially Fruit-bearers, should
be barked, because while they are covered with
the Bark, Corruption is very apt to gather be
tween the Rind and the Tree.

Of preserving the Trees after they are cut, what to plaister or anoint them with,
of the Remedies against their Infirmities, and of allotting them their proper
Places in the Building.

After the Timber is cut, it must be
laid where the scorching Heat of the
Sun or rude Blasts of Winds never come; and
especially, that which falls of itself, ought to
be very well protected with Shade. And for
this Reason, the ancient Architects used to
plaister it over with Ox-Dung; which Theo
phrastus says they did, because by that Means
all the Pores being stopped up, the superfluous
Flegm and Humidity concreting within, dis
tils and vents itself by Degrees through the
Heart, by which Means the Dryness of the
other Parts of the Wood is condensed by its
drying equally throughout. And they are of
Opinion that Trees dry better, if set with their
Heads downward. Moreover, they prescribe
various Remedies against their decaying and
other Infirmities. Theophrastus thinks that
burying of Timber hardens it extremely. Cato
advises to anoint it with Lees of Oil, to pre
serve it from all Manner of Worms; and we
all know that Pitch is a Defence to it against
Water. They say that Wood, which has been
soaked in the Dregs of Oil, will burn without
the Offence of Smoak. Pliny writes, that in
the Labyrinth of Egypt, there are a great
many Beams made of the Egyptian Thorn
rubed over with Oil, and Theophrastus says,
that Timber dawbed over with Glue will
not burn. Nor will I omit what we read in
Aulus Gellius, taken out of the Annals of Quin
tus Claudius, that Archelaus, Mithridates's Præ
fect, having thoroughly debawbed a wooden
Tower in the Piræum with Allum, when
Sylla besieged it, it would not take Fire. Se
veral Woods are hardened and strengthened a
gainst the Assaults of Storms in various Man
ners. They bury the Citron-wood under
Ground, plaistered over with Wax, for seven
Days, and after an Intermission of as many
more, lay it under Heaps of Corn for the same
Space of Time, whereby it becomes not only
stronger but easier to be wrought, because it
takes away a very considerable Part of its
Weight; and they say too, that the same
Wood thus dryed, being afterwards laid some
time in the Sea, acquires a Hardness incredibly
solid and incorruptible. It is certain the Ches
nut Tree is purged by the Sea-water. Pliny
writes, the Ægyptian Fig-tree is laid under
Water to dry and grow lighter, for at first it
will sink to the Bottom. We see that our
Workmen lay their Timber under Water or
Dung for thirty Days, especially such as they
design for turning, by which Means they think
it is better dried and more easily worked for
all Manner of Uses. There are some who af
firm, that all Manner of Woods agree in this,
that if you bury them in some moist Place
while they are green, they will endure for ever;
but whether you preserve it in Woods, or bury,
or anoint it, the Experienced are universally of
this Opinion, that you must not meddle with
it under three Months: The Timber must have