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The Timaftots have different Appointments, from 4 or 5000 Aipers ; equal to about 22 Pounds Sterling ; to 20000 Afpers : But unlefs their Timar exceed 8000 Afpers, they are never oblig'd to march, except when the Grand Signior goes in the Army in Per ion ; on which Occafion none are exempted.
The Origin of the Timariors is referr'd to the firft Sultans, who being Mailers of the Fiefs or Lands of the Empire, creeled them into Baronies or Commanderies; to reward the Services of their braveft Soldiers ; and eipecially to raiib and keep on Foot a Number of Troops without disburfing any Money.
But it was Salman II. that firft eftablifh'd the Order and Difcipline among theie Barons, or Knights of the Empire ; and by his Order it was, that the Number of Horiemen each mould maintain, was regulated.
This Body has always been not only exceedingly powerful, but great and illuftrious, throughout all the Empire : But Avarice, the ordinary Fault of the Orientals, has occafion'd their Declenfion of late Years.
The Viceroys and Governors of Provinces manage their Matters fo at Court, that Timars, even out of their Jurif- di£lion, are given to their Domeiiicks, or to fuch as will give the moft Money for them.
There are two Kinds of Timariots ; the one appointed by the Pone, the other by the Viceroy of the Country : But the Revenues of both are lefs than thole of the Zaims, and their Equipage and Tents lefs in Proportion. See Zaim.
Thole who have their Patents from the Court, have from 5 or 6000 Afpers, to 19999 Aipers per Annum ; if they have one Afper more, they become Zaims. Thofe who receive their Patents from the Viceroys, have from 3 to 6000 Afpers per Annum.
This Cavalry is better diiciplin'd than that properly call'd the Spahis, -tho' the Spahis be the neater! and briskeft. Theie laft: only fight in Plattoons; whereas the Zaims and Timariots are divided into Regiments, and commanded by Colonels, under the Direction of Bafhaws.
The Bafhaw of Aleppo-, when in the Army, is Colonel General of this Militia.
TIMBER, includes all Kinds of fell 'd and feafon'd Woods, us'd in the feveral Parts of Building ; as Carpentry, Joinery, Turnery, $c. See Woou and Building.
The Kinds of timber are numerous : We mall only men- tion fome of the moll: ufual ; from Evelyns Sytva, &c. as ,
i°. Oak'-, the Ufes whereof need no enumerating: To endure all Seafons and Wearhers, there is no Wood like it : Hence its Vie in Pales, Shingles, Polls, Rails, Boards, &c. For Water-works it is fecond to none 5 and where it lies expos'd both to Air and Water, there is none equal to it.
2 . Elm : This fell'd between November and February, is all Spine or Heart, and no Sap ; and is of lingular Ule in Places where it is always wet or dry : Its Tough nefs likewife makes it of Ufe to Wheel-wrights, Mill-wrights, &c. nor mutt it be omitted, that its not being liable to break and fly in Chips, makes it fit for Dre tiers and Planks to chop on.
3°. Seech: Its chief Ufe is in Turnery, Joinery, Up- holftery, and the like, as being of a clean, white, fine Grain, not apt to bend or flit : Yet is it ibmetunes, efpeci- ally of late, us'd for building Timber ; and if it lie constant- ly wet, is judg'd to out-laft Oak.
4 . Afa : Its Ufe is almoit univerfal : 'Tis good for Building, or other Occasions where it may lie dry ; It ferves the Carpenter, Cooper, Turner, Plough- wright, "Wheel-wright, Gardener ; as alio at Sea for Oars, Hand- Spikes, ££fc.
5 . Fir ; commonly known by the Name of Ileal, is of late much us'd in Building, eipecially within Doors, for Stairs, Floors, Wainfcot, and moft Works of Orna- ment.
6°. Walnut-Tree, is of univerfal Ufe; excepting for the Out-fides of Buildings; None better for the Joiners Ufe 5 it being of a more curious brown Colour than Beech, and lefs fubject to Worms.
7 . Chefiut-Tree, next to Oak, is the Timber moft fought for by Joiners and Carpenters : 'Tis very lading.
8°. Service-Tree, us'd in Joinery, as being of a delicate Grain, and fit for Curiofities : It alio yields Beams of con- siderable Bignefs for Building.
9 Q . Toplar, Abel, and Ajpen, differing very little from one another, are much us'd of late inltead of Fir : They look as well, and are tougher and harder.
10. Alder ; much us'd for Sewers or Pipes to convey Wa- ter. When always wet it grows hard like a Stone ; but where fometimes wet, and fometimes dry, it rots imme- diately.
Felling of Timber,
The Seafbn ufiia^y commences about the End of April 5 in regard the Bark then generally rifes the freelielt $ fo that
where a Quantity of Timber is to be fell'd, the Statute requires it to be done then for the Advantage of Tanning. See Tanning.
However, the Opinions and Practices of Authors are very different, as to the belt Sea ion for felling Timber ; Pitru- vius recommends an Autumnal Fall ; others advile "December and January : Cato was of Opinion, that Trees ihould have bore their Fruit e'er fell'd ; at lealt their Fruit Ihould be iiril ripe ; which falls in with the Sentiment of V'itruvius.
In effect, tho' Timber unbark'd be moil obnoxious to Worms, yet we find the wild Oak, and many other Kinds, if fell d too late, when the Sap begins to be proud, to be very tubjecl: to Worms 5 whereas, about Mid- Winter, it n neither calls, rifts, nor twines.
Ir were happy, therefore, it a Method of Tanning with- out Bark could be invented, that Trees being fell'd more early, the Timber might be the better feafon'd.
The Ancients had a great Regard to the Age of the Moon in the felling their Timber: If their Rules avail ought, they are theie : Fell Timber in the Wain, or four Days after new Moon : Some fay, let it be the laft Quarter, tPliny orders it to be in the very Article of the Change 5 which happening in the laft Day of the Winter Solitice, the Timber, fays he, will be immortal. Columella fays, from the 2 oth to the 28th Day. Cato, four Days after the Fall. Vegetius, from the 15th to the 25th for Ship Timber 5 but never in the Increafe, Trees then abounding with Moi- Iture, the only Source of Putri faction.
Some even have a Regard to the Temper and Time of the Day ; the Wind to be low, neither Eaft nor Welt ; nei- ther in frolty, wet, nor dewy Weather; and therefore never in the Forenoon,
Laltly, fome Regard is had to the Species ; Fir is bell fell'd when it begins to fpring ; both as ir then quits its Coat belt, and as the Wood, according to Theophrajlus, is by that Means render'd wonderfully durable in Water. Elm, fays Mr. Worlidge, is to be fell'd between November and Ja- nuary ; in which Cafe it will be all Heart 5 at lealt, the Sap will be very inconfiderable : This, he adds, is the only Seafon for felling Am.
Some Authors add further, that in felling Timber, Care is to be taken only to cut it into the Pith, and i'o to let it ftand till dry ; by which Means the Moifture is evacuated in Drops, which would otherwife occafion Putri faction.
Seafoning of Timber..
After felling, and fawing it, fome advife it to be laid up very dry, in an airy Place, yet out of the Wind and Sun, at leait free from any Extremities of either; And that it mayn't decay, but dry evenly, they order it to be daub'd over with Cows Dung.
'Tis not to ftand upright, but to lie all along, one Piece over another, only kept apart by fhort Blocks interpos'd, to prevent a certain Mouldinefs, which they are apt to contract in Sweating on one another ; from which frequently arifes a kind of Fungus, eipecially if there be any iappy Parts re- maining.
Others advife Boards, Planks, ££>c. to be laid in fome Pool, or running Stream for a few Days, to extract the Sap from them, and afterwards to dry them in the Sun or Air.
By this means.
'tis laid, th-
y will be prevented from either
chapping, catting, or cleaving; but againlt fhrinking there is no Remedy. Mr. Evelyn particularly recommends this Method for Fir.
Others again, are for burying them in the Earth ; others in Wheat ; and others for fcorching and feafoning them in Fire, efpecially Piles, Pofts, £f?c. that are to ftand either in Water or Earth.
Sir Hugh 'Piatt informs us. that the Venetians burn and fcorch their Timber in the flaming Fire, continually turn- ing it round with an Engine, till it has got a hard, black, crafty Coal upon it.
"Frefervmg of Timber.
When Boards, 1$c. are dry'd, feafon'd, and fix'd in their Places, Care is to be taken to defend and preferve them ; to which the fmearing them with Linleed Oil, Tar, or the like Oleaginous Matter, contributes much.
The Tftitch preferve their Gates, Portcullices, Draw- Bridges, Sluices, £5?c. by coating them over with a Mixture of Pitch and Tar, whereon rhey ftrew fmall Pieces of Cockle and other Shells, beaten almoit to Powder, and mix*d with Sea Sands ; which incrufts and arms it wonderfully againft all Affaults of Wind and Weather.
Timber fell'd before the Sap is perfectly at reft, is very fubjeft to the Worms ; to prevent, or cure which, Mr. Eve- /17Z gives us the following Secret, as moft approv'd. Put common Sulphur in a Cucurbir, with as much Aqua-fortis, as will cover it three Fingers deep ; diftih't to aDrynefs, which, is perform'd by two or three Rectifications,
Lay
