Rudy,
I also had a chance to pick up a copy of Scribner's lumber and Log book . Mine was printed in 1872. It says word for word what you quoted, including referring to the "experiments".

I also found this book online A Course of Instruction in Ordnance and Gunnery

This version was printed 1867. It is the 3rd edition. It has a section on felling timber (page 264) that says nearly word for word what the Scribner book says -- Clearly someone was plaigerizing.

Anyway, it refers to the experiments as well, calling them "recent experiments".

I bet we can find more about these experiments.

Gabel