1885.] LESSONS ON TIMBER-PRESERVING. 



study of it only goes to convince that after more than forty years' 

 application of coal-tar oil injection into timber for preservative 

 purposes, affording instances of marvellous successes and unaccount- 

 able failures, an ounce of verified theory would be worth a ton of 

 practice. Visitors at the Inventories may study the exhibits illus- 

 trating ]\Ir. Boulton's new patent for creosoting wet timber, to 

 which the discussion referred. But before investigating either the 

 elaborate model of the patent apparatus now used at Burt, Boulton, 

 & Haywood's works, or any of the 36 diagrams and treated 

 sleepers, and other timbers displayed in the South Central Gallery 

 (East End) of the International Inventions Exhibition, they may 

 suffer to be coached in a little theory — involving reference to the 

 Japanese display of timber-preserving at the Edinburgh Forestry 

 Exhibition, which, though attracting little attention from the mass 

 of visitors, has been specially signalized as among the best items 

 of this International Display by Professor Eiley, in his report 

 published in the Annual Hciwrt of the American Commissioner of 

 Agricidturc, as well as by Indian Forestry Department officers. We 

 are indebted to a most practical article on the treasures of the 

 Japanese Court in tiie May number of the Indian Forester, for 

 the following reproduction of the description hung above the model 

 of an establishment for ]3reserving timber in a mixture of sea and 

 fresh water, of which large numbers exist throughout the island- 

 empire. Mr. H. Maudslay, at the discussion of the Engineers' 

 Institution, noted how the decay of timber piles of the piers of Old 

 London Bridge varied according as they were constantly under 

 water, or exposed to water, air, and sun ; or to salt water or to 

 fresh w^ater on the rise and fall of the tide. Large roots of red 

 pine timber he had come across in excavations to form a reservoir 

 on the Arran and Snowdon mountains, which must have been kept 

 in the magnificent state of preservation they were found in for 

 centuries, decayed on exposure to the air. So, too, tables made 

 from the wood of the Royal George, sunk in 1782, appeared 

 intact, though cast-iron cannon raised from the wreck were found 

 to be soft as plumbago, were evidences of the preservative power of 

 sea-water. Be it noted, then, that the Japanese use only wood 

 previously preserved as follows : — 



PRESERVATION PROCESS APPLIED TO TIMBER STORE. 



At a distance of 20 or 30 chos (1 chor= about 120 yards) from 

 the sea, and near the mouth of a stream, a large pond is dug, so 

 that the sea may have free access to it. This is called Kakoitori (or 

 storing pond). Its size is not fixed, but generally it contains an 



