18C 



JOUENAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ March 19, 1870. 



pool of moderate size, a wild duck rose from its surface, and 

 startled me by the loud clapping of her wings ; the sound being 

 intensified, probably, by the solemn stillness which prevailed 

 around me. Her little brood dived at once to the bottom, so 

 muddying the pool as to be invisible. I did not care to dis- 

 turb the ducklings, and so made the best of my way towards 

 the high road from which I had deviated. A patch of Veronica, 

 noticeable for the pallor of its light blue flowers, grew by the 

 path. Attributing the paleness to the want of sunshine in this 

 lucus iners, I did not stop to examine it, supposing it to be the 

 common Germander. A few yards farther on I stumbled upon 

 a larger patch, but in this instance bright bine blossoms were 

 intermingled with the almost white ones referred to. A closer 

 examination revealed to me the fact, that the plants represented 

 two species of Veronica — viz., Cham.edrys, or Germander Speed- 

 well, and the less common V. montana, or Mountain Speed- 

 well, and that the colours were not influenced, as I had pre- 

 viously imagined, by the absence or otherwise of the sun's 

 rays. 



I am afraid that the patience of your readers may be ex- 

 hausted, as I must confess my limbs were wearied, by this long 

 ramble on a hot summer's day. — H. 



DURABILITY OF TIMBER UNDER DIFFERENT 

 MODES OF TREATMENT. 



Although the preservation of timber in partioular positions 

 is a question belonging rather to the architect and mechanic 

 than to the gardener, yet there are cases where the latter is 

 equally interested, and hints taken from the means adopted 

 by large public bodies for maintaining the durability of their 

 structures may be worked into practice on a smaller scale ; 

 and, as public attention has of late been much directed to this 

 and kindred matters, we cannot be surprised at the number of 

 methods proposed by those who are anxious to achieve fame. 

 Fortunately, however, for the public, the shortcomings of every 

 mode proposed are bo closely scanned by those who have a 

 rival plan, that none not based on good principles is likely to 

 meet with extensive adoption ; but a longer time is wanted to 

 test the value of inventions of this kind than that of most 

 others, therefore a hasty conclusion cannot well be arrived at, 

 nnlesB it be an adverse one. Of course there are some difficul- 

 ties in arriving at a just conclusion, but a rough guess may be 

 made in most eases ; at the same time it must be admitted 

 that the most learned and enterprising have also their difficul- 

 ties ; witness the many methods adopted in endeavouring to 

 send the surplus beef and mutton of Australia and South 

 America to England in a condition suitable to the requirements 

 of this country ; and although perfect success has not yet been 

 attained, there is every hope that it will be so ere many years, 

 or even months, shall have elapsed. The preservation of some 

 of our important buildings has also attracted attention, and 

 the chemist has been called in to assist in repairing the over- 

 sights of those who ought to have paid attention to them a few 

 yeacs sooner ; but the durability of timber has been a subject 

 the importance of which dates back much further than it is 

 easy to ascertain, but it is questionable whether the means 

 always taken for that end were successful or not. I have long 

 held that the advantages of oil paints as preservatives have 

 been over-estimated, and I may go a step further than this, 

 and venture an opinion that they have in some cases pro- 

 moted early decay. Without discussing this subject for the 

 present, as in many cases the paint brush cannot be dispensed 

 with, I will make some remarks upon the preservation of 

 timber by other processes. 



In that excellent journal devoted to architectural and engi- 

 neering works, The Builder, a report is given of some inter- 

 esting experiments made with several kinds of timber, pre- 

 pared in three different modes, and the same kinds of timber 

 used in an unprepared state, excepting so far as being dried 

 in a shed. It appears that Bcantlings of various kinds, all 

 of a Bize, were prepared in the manner described below, and 

 sunk in still water in Plymouth harbour. After being there 

 about two years and a half they were taken up and examined, 

 and the condition of each was found to be as stated below. 

 The kinds of timber so experimented upon were Quebec 

 Yellow Pine, Quebec Red Pine, Memel timber, American Oak, 

 American Elm, English Oak, English Elm, and English Beech, 

 some Swedish timber, and Pitch Pine. SampleB of each 

 of these ten kinds of timber had been operated upon by 

 each of the three processes, and a sample of each was also 



submerged in an unprepared condition. The modes adopted 

 were — 



1, Creosoting. — The timber was dried under a shed, then 

 creosoted under a pressure, from forty-five to fifty gallons of 

 oil to the load being absorbed. 



2, Kyanising. — The timber was dried as above, then steeped 

 in a solution of corrosive sublimate during twenty-four hours 

 for each inch of thickness ; 3 lbs. of sublimate for each load of 

 timber (of 50 feet) being used. 



3, Sulphate of Copper Process. — Timber for this was also 

 dried as above, then steeped for fourteen days in a solution of 

 snlphate of copper, 1 lb. to eight gallons of water being used. 



J 1 4, Timber unprepared was also dried as above. 



It will easily be perceived from the foregoing, that processes 

 Nos. 2 and 3 are by means of strong mineral poisons fatal 

 alike to both vegetable and animal life, and as the experiments 

 were made with a view to test their advantages for nautical or dock 

 purposes they are not of so much value here ; but No. 1 being a 

 process which under another form is in such extensive practice 

 in this county, Kent, to preserve the hop poles, and which may 

 with advantage be used elsewhere, I have added the other ex- 

 periments to show the result. At the same time I may state, 

 that the kyanising process has been tried in building and in 

 many other ways, the object being to prevent the dry rot and 

 other evils to which building timber, furniture, &c, are subject, 

 the impregnation of poisonous matter being supposed to render 

 the wood proof against the attacks both of the vegetable and 

 animal creation. Whether it has really proved so or not is a 

 question I am not prepared to answer, but thirty years ago the 

 process was in great repute, and I recollect some railway 

 viaducts of great length formed by arches the timber of which 

 had been subjected to this process, as well as the longitudinal 

 timbers and cross sleepers on which the railway itself was laid, 

 the latter, of course, laid in the ground ; but how it answered 

 I am unable to say. Certainly I had at the time sufficient 

 experience with it in a small way to lead to the belief that it 

 did not tend much to promote durability in timber placed in 

 the ground, but for Jbuilding and nautical purposes, where 

 animal and vegetable life exercise such a destructive influence 

 on timber, it is possible its advantages may be greater, and 

 from the experiments reported on in The Builder, it would 

 seem that its utility was superior in most cases to the sulphate 

 of copper preparation, of which I have not had any experience. 

 The creosoting process differs from both, as will be explained 

 hereafter. 



I will now state the results of the experiments as briefly as 

 possible, and leave the very important matter of dealing with 

 hop poles, so as to quite double their durability, till another 

 opportunity, at the same time it may be stated that the merits 

 of creosoting stand out prominently. 



Taking the reported condition of the ten kinds of timber 

 under trial, the following were the results : — 



Creosoting. — All the ten kinds operated upon are reported to 

 be perfectly fresh and sound. 



Kyanising. — Seven of the kinds are reported perfectly fresh 

 and sound, two slightly worm-eaten, and one much more so. 



Sulphate of Copper. — Only one kind (English Oak), is re- 

 ported in a perfectly fresh condition, six others are but slightly 

 affected, and three rather badly bo by being worm-eaten and 

 the clinging of weeds. 



Unprepared Timber. — All the kinds are reported injured 

 more or less, one-half of them but slightly so, the others to a 

 greater extent. Even English Oak has not escaped, although 

 it is reported to be in as good a condition as anything. 



From the above it will be seen that creosoting is the most 

 successful of the processes tried. I hope at some early day to 

 call your readers' attention to its uses in another form, and one 

 that will commend itself to all who have out-door fencing and 

 similar woodwork to deal with. Its use, by what is already 

 done in Kent, will certainly not to be confined to nautical or 

 river-side purposes. — J. Roeson. 



(To be continued.) 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 



Instktjction in Science and Aet for Women. — Professor 

 Oliver will commence his lectures " On Botany," which termi- 

 nate the present series, to-morrow, March 11th, at 11 a.m., 

 in the Museum Theatre, South Kensington. Tickets may be ob- 

 tained at the Catalogue Sale Stall, South Kensington Mu6eum. 



The Duke of Bnccleuch, President of The Royal Horti- 

 cultural Society, has nominated the following gentlemen for 



