The Mechanical Properties of Wood Including a Discussion of the Factors Affecting the Mechanical Properties, and Methods of Timber Testing

"The Mechanical Properties of Wood" by Samuel J. Record is an early 20th-century educational resource explaining the science behind timber's strength, particularly for forestry students. It starts by introducing key mechanical ideas like stress and strain to explain how wood acts under forces, while also setting up the book's layout, which explores properties, influencing elements, and testing methods; it highlights the variation in wood strength, pushing for detailed testing to confirm appropriate use in construction and other areas which lays the foundation for examining timber mechanics by carefully placing wood structure along side its mechanical response.