I had occasion to clear several acres of land which was covered with a very dense growth of young pines from two to six inches in diameter (this work for certain reasons is usually done in the winter). The young trees, not being suitable for fuel, are thrown into piles and burned upon the ground. Such land, therefore, on account of the stumps is very difficult to plow, as the stumps do not decay for three or four years, while most of the larger ones remain sound even longer. But, for the purpose of experimenting, I cleaned a few acres of ground in the spring, cutting them in May and June. I trimmed the poles, leaving them upon the ground, and when seasoned hauled them to the house for fuel, and found that for cooking or heating purposes they were almost equal to oak; and it was my practice for many years afterward to cut these young pines in May or June for winter fuel. I found also that the stumps, instead of remaining sound for any length of time, decayed so quickly that they could all be plowed up the following spring. From which facts I draw these conclusions: that if in the cutting of timber the main object is to preserve the stumps, cut your trees in the fall or winter; but if the value of the timber is any consideration, cut your trees in the spring after the sap has ascended the tree, but before any growth has taken place or new wood has been formed. I experimented for many years also in the cutting of timber for fencing, fence posts, etc., and with the same results. Those which were cut in the spring and set after being seasoned were the most durable, such timber being much lighter, tougher, and in all respects better for all variety of purposes. Having given some little idea of the manner in which I experimented, and the conclusions arrived at as to the proper time when timber should be cut, I now propose to give what are, in my opinion, the reasons why timber cut in early summer is much better, being lighter, tougher and more durable than if cut at any other time. Therefore, in order to do this it is necessary first to explain the nature and value of the sap and the growth of a tree. We find it to be the general opinion at present, as it perhaps has always been among lumbermen and those who work among timber, that the sap of a tree is an evil which must be avoided if possible, for it is this which causes decay and destroys the life and good qualities of all wood when allowed to remain in it for an unusual length of time, but that this is a mistaken idea I will endeavor to show, not that the decay is due to the sap, but to the time when the tree was felled.