The principle of virtual work was employed to determine the stress distribution in a wood plate subjected to a load distribution such as to effect a uniform displacement in theydirection.The displacementualongx=±adeveloped an unexpected contour. The average value ofuappears to occur near the ends. This cautions against the common practice of placing the instruments for measuring Poisson's ratio near the middle. In the case of isotropic material the unexpected contours still prevail but are barely perceptible.The work was carried out for a fourth approximation (not presented) with sufficient accuracy to assure that the same contour was developing. These unexpected results were first observed in the laboratory of the U. S. Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin—an experience which prompted this theoretical confirmation.