492 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



hot, heat causing them to penetrate more deeply, make very good 

 coatings. One barrel of coal tar (50 gallons) costs $3 to $4 and is 

 sufficient to paint about 300 posts. Both tars and paints have the 

 disadvantage in that they act as mere covers. If the wood is not 

 thoroughly seasoned before their application, they do more harm 

 than good. As the wood seasons, checks are opened up in any 

 case, so that it is a difficult matter to fill them by using any of the 

 ''brush treatments." 



To overcome this difficulty "dipping" is practiced. This 

 method gives a more thorough coating and saves in labor. It re- 

 quires a larger quantity of preservative and forbids the use of the 

 more expensive ones. In spite of this, petroleum tar, coal tars 

 and creosote may be advantageously used. 



There is one preserving fluid, a still higher distillate of coal 

 tar than creosote, which deserves particular mention when used 

 for painting or dipping. This is avenarius carbolineum. It is 

 the invention of Richard Avenarius, a German chemist. Its com- 

 position is known only to him. It is a finished, insoluble, chemical 

 compound, a thin, oily substance of heavy specific gravity, and an 

 exceptionally good disinfectant and fungicide. It is free from 

 acids or other substances injurious to wood. Winter and summer 

 it remains a liquid without evaporating or deteriorating. It can be 

 used on partly seasoned wood if applied hot. Its use is simple, 

 practical and economical. It requires only a paint brush for its 

 application, and subsequent coats insure deeper penetration, thus 

 intensifying its effect. Its heavy, oily, chemical ingredients secure 

 self -impregnation, gradually permeating and curing the wood just 

 "like smoke cures a ham." It makes the wood tough and increases 

 the holding power of staples. It does not close the pores in the 

 wood but allows as free a circulation of air as does untreated wood. 

 Water is repelled by its oily character. White oak fence posts 

 treated with carbolineum have lasted more than 20 years and 

 Cottonwood, which ordinarily lasts but two or three years when, in 

 contact with the soil, has been known to last more than 10 years. 

 Thus it can be said that carbolineum more than triples the life of 

 fence posts. The cost is slight. We have on file in the department 

 of forestry copies of letters stating the cost to be from one to one 

 and a half cents per post. 



The following is a price list for carbolineum, delivered freight 

 prepaid for five gallons and upwards, as quoted by the Carbolineum 

 Wood Preserving Co., Milwaukee, Wis., January, 1913: 



