2709 represent planks that are what is termed Flitched, the saw cuts following the taper of the tree, and it is plain that the shrinkage would be more uniform; thus the outside plank is near the bark from end to end, while at the top of the figure the outside plank is near the outside at the small end only of the log, and would therefore shrink most at the right hand end.
"Modern Machine-Shop Practice, Volumes I and II"
Joshua Rose