113 



my own (now nearly thirty years) experience of the tropics and 

 its birds, I am certain that if it is only extermination that is 

 feared, the whole controversy can be ended, and both sides 

 brought tog-ether to prevent this, in a very short time. I therefore 

 appeal through your columns to the head of the India office and 

 to the secretary of state for the colonies, and others who believe 

 in keeping this important trade for England, especially London 

 — once there is no fear of the birds being exterminated or be- 

 coming even scarce — to bring about a meeting, without including" 

 the ultra-humanitarians and the faddists (who have already had 

 more than their share of attention), to hear what practical men,, 

 and those who have had long experience in the matter, have to 

 say." ai 



A FENCE POST TEST. 



The following letter to the Superintendent of Forestry, which 

 explains itself, is believed to be of sufficient general interest to 

 make it worthy of being put on record. The posts were cut from 

 trees grown in the Tantalus forest, felled during the winter of 

 1910. They were allowed to season by air drying for several 

 months prior to their being put in the ground. Further examina- 

 tions of these posts, in later years, should yield additional infor- 

 mation as to the lasting qualities of this wood. 



The College of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, April 26, 1913. 

 Mr. Ralph S. Hosmer, Superintendent of Forestry, Board of 



Agriculture and Forestry, Honolulu. 



Dear Mr. Hosmer : — Complying with your recent verbal request 

 for a report on the condition of the Eucalyptus cornuta fence posts 

 which are under test at the College Farm in Manoa, I beg to 

 report on same as follows : 



Charred Posts — Average decay 6 inches to 12 inches below sur- 

 face of ground, 34 i^ch to ^ inch. 



Tarred Posts — Average decay 6 inches to 12 inches below sur- 

 face of ground, inch to ^4 inch. 



Creosoted Posts — Average decay 6 inches to 12 inches below 

 surface of ground, no decay. 



Posts Set in Concrete (not treated) — Average decay 6 inches 

 to 12 inches below surface of ground, ^ inch to 1 inch. 



Untreated posts — Average decay 6 inches to 12 inches below 

 surface of ground, ^4 inch to % inch. 



From the above it will be noted that the creosoted posts were 

 found to be in the best state of preservation. The second best 

 preserved posts were those that were tarred. The charred posts 

 showed about the same amount of decay as the untreated posts, 

 so that it is assumed that the charring had but little or no value 

 as a preservative. 



The posts set in concrete showed by far the greatest amount 



