A relationship was shown between the chemical composition of fossil woods and the conditions of its burial. Woods kept for nearly 3000 years without contact with the earth, at low temperature and humidity, were comparatively little changed in composition. Greater changes were noted in woods remaining in a layer of peat; after 3500-5000 years such samples contained only about one-half the original carbohydrate. The greatest change in chemical composition occurred in wood kept in an earthen mound. In these samples, cellulose almost completely disappeared; in a few cases, the amounts of water soluble products and the nonhydrolyzable residues increased. -- AATA