Development of Woon Seasoning and Timber Industries in India

The paper gives a brief account of research and extension work done on timber seasoning in this country, its position today, and its problems. The research work was started in 1914 and the air seasoning behaviour of 200 commercially important timbers has been studied. Kiln drying schedules for 125 species of wood. have been drawn up. The working of more than a dozen types of timber seasoning kilns has also been studied, and kiln designs suitable for Indian conditions have been standardized. However, the installed kiln capacity is only 5% of timber which needs kiln seasoning. The history of development of timber industry has also been given in details. It has been brought out that the country is self-sufficient in wood-ware items. The little imports are restricted to the half-wroughts for a few items and some timbers for ship-yards. In fact a few items are now being exported. Attention to the problems of the timber industry has also been drawn in the paper.