25).
Consequently with large timbers in commercial use it is unsafe to count upon any greater strength, even after seasoning, than that of the green or fresh condition.
[Illustration: FIG.

25 .-- Cross section of the wood of western larch showing fissures in the thick-walled cells of the late wood.

Highly magnified.

_Photo by U.S.Forest Service._] In green wood the cells are all intimately joined together and are at their natural or normal size when saturated with water.
The cell walls may be considered as made up of little particles with water between them.

When wood is dried the films of water between the particles become thinner and thinner until almost entirely gone.