Alberti, Leone Battista, Architecture, 1755

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              <s>
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              Time to harden and to get a Kind of Matu­
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              rity of Strength before it is applied to Uſe.
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              </s>
              <s>After it is thus prepared,
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              Cato
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              directs, that it
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              muſt not be brought out into the Air but in
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              the Wane of the Moon, and after Mid-day, and
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              even in the Wane of the Moon he condemns
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              the four Days next after the fiſteenth, and pre­
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              cautions us againſt bringing it out in a South
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              Wind. </s>
              <s>And when we bring it out, we muſt
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              take Care not to draw it through the Dew,
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              nor to ſaw or cut it when it is covered with
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              Dew or Froſt, but only when it is perfectly dry
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              in all Reſpects.</s>
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            <p type="head">
              <s>CHAP. VI.</s>
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              <s>
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              What Woods are moſt proper for Building, their Natures and Uſes, how they
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              are to be employed, and what Part of the Edifice each Kind is moſt fit for.
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              </s>
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              <s>
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              Theophraſtus
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              thinks that Timber is not dry
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              enough for the making of Planks, eſpeci­
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              ally for Doors, in leſs than three Years. </s>
              <s>The
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              Trees of moſt Uſe for Building were reckoned
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              to be theſe; the Holm, and all other Sorts of
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              Oaks, the Beech, the Poplar, the Linden, the
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              Willow, the Alder, the Aſh, the Pine, the Cy­
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              preſs, the Olive, both Wild and Garden, the
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              Cheſnut, the Larch Tree, the Box, the Cedar,
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              the Ebony, and even the Vine: But all theſe
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              are various in their Natures, and therefore muſt
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              be applied to various Uſes. </s>
              <s>Some are better
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              than others to be expoſed without Doors,
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              others muſt be uſed within; ſome delight in
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              the open Air, others harden in the Water, and
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              will endure almoſt for ever under Ground;
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              ſome are good to make nice Boards, and for
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              Sculptures, and all Manner of Joyner's Work;
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              ſome for Beams and Rafters; others are ſtronger
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              for ſupporting open Terraſſes, and Coverings;
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              and the Alder, for Piles to make a Foundation
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              in a River or marſhy Ground, exceeds all other
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              Trees, and bears the Wet incomparably well,
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              but will not laſt at all in the Air or Sun. </s>
              <s>On
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              the contrary, the Beech will not endure the
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              Wet at all. </s>
              <s>The Elm, ſet in the open Air,
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              hardens extremely; but elſe it ſplits and will
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              not laſt. </s>
              <s>The Pitch Tree and Pine, if buried
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              under Ground, are wonderfully durable. </s>
              <s>But
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              the Oak, being hard, cloſe, and nervous, and
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              of the ſmalleſt Pores, not admitting any Moiſ­
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              ture, is the propereſt of any for all Manner of
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              Works under Ground, capable of ſupporting
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              the greateſt Weights, and is the ſtrongeſt of
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              Columns. </s>
              <s>But though Nature has endued it
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              with ſo much Hardneſs that it cannot be bored
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              unleſs it be ſoaked, yet above Ground it is
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              reckoned inconſtant, and to warp and grow
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              unmanageable, and in the Sea-water quickly
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              rots; which does not happen to the Olive, nor
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              Holm Oak, nor Wild Olive, though in other
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              Things they agree with the Oak. </s>
              <s>The Maſt­
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              Holm never conſumes with Age, becauſe it's
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              Inſide is juicy, and as it were always green.
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              </s>
              <s>The Beech likewiſe and the Cheſnut do not
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              rot in the Water, and are reckoned among the
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              principal Trees for Works under Ground. </s>
              <s>The
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              Cork Tree alſo, and the wild Pine, the Mul­
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              berry, the Maple, and the Elm are not amiſs
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              for Columns.
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              Theophraſtus
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              recommends the
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                <emph type="italics"/>
              Negropont
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              Nut Tree for Beams and Rafters,
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              becauſe before it breaks it gives Notice by a
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              Crack, which formerly ſaved the Lives of a
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              great many People, who, upon the falling of
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              the publick Baths at
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              Andros,
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              by Means of that
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              Warning had Time to make their Eſcape. </s>
              <s>But
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              the Fir is much the Beſt for that Uſe; for as it
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              is one of the Biggeſt and Thickeſt of Trees, ſo
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              it is endued with a natural Stiffneſs, that will
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              not eaſily give way to the Weight that is laid
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              upon it, but ſtands firm and never yields. </s>
              <s>Add
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              beſides, that it is eaſy to work, and does not
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              lie too heavy upon the Wall. </s>
              <s>In ſhort, many
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              Perfections, and Uſes, and great Praiſes are aſ­
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              cribed to this ſingle Wood; nevertheleſs we
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              cannot diſown that it has one Fault, which is,
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              that it is too apt to catch Fire. </s>
              <s>Not inferior
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              to this for Roofs, is the Cypreſs, a Tree, in
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              many other Reſpects ſo uſeful, that it claims a
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              principal Rank among the moſt excellent. </s>
              <s>The
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              Ancients reckoned it as one of the Beſt, and
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              not inferior to Cedar or Ebony. </s>
              <s>In
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              India
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              the
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              Cypreſs is valued almoſt equal with the Spice
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              Trees, and with good Reaſon; for whatever
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              Praiſes may be beſtowed upon the Ammony or
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              Cirenaic Field Pine, which
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              Theophraſtus
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              ſays is
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              everlaſting, yet if you conſult either Smell,
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              Beauty, Strength, Bigneſs, Straitneſs, or Du­
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              ration, or all theſe together, what Tree can you
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              put in Competition with the Cypreſs? </s>
              <s>It is </s>
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