A proposal for a test based on changes in natural frequency, the frequency of free vibration of the elastic body, to indicate the amount of decay in wood. The frequency test was nonde-structive. Thus, it allowed each specimen to be tested more than once. Since the values used to calculate strength loss -- one before decay and another one after decay -- were measured on the same specimens, this test did not have the experimental problem normally associated with the decay tests using strength reduction. -- AATA