Discolored wood isolated from the inner sapwood area of trembling aspen and balsam poplar shrinks more and is weaker in compression perpendicular-to-the-grain, than adjacent normal sapwood. When the green moisture content is higher than that of adjacent normal wood, then the drying rate (E-value) is slower. Excessive shrinkage and wet pockets may be anticipated during kiln-drying; therefore drying practices must be adapted to allow for these difficulties
