382 



PRESERYATM OF TIMBER. 



A^iscussion, in a previous number of the Monthly, of the best practicable 

 modes of preserving timber, has called forth suggestions from several corre- 

 spondents. The following, from our principal crop observer in Whiteside county, 

 Illinois, is presented for the consideration of the public : 



" The preservation of timber by some cheap and practical process within the 

 reach of all, has engaged the attention of scientific men for many years. Strip- 

 ping off the bark at certain periods, felling the trees in certain months, seasoD- 

 ing the timber, the steam process, and many other experiments, have been 

 resorted to with varied, and, in most cases, unsatisfactory results. With fence- 

 posts such experiments as charring and applying coal-tar have been made, but, 

 as a general thing, the life of the timber is gone in a period of three to seven 

 years, if exposed to wet and dry weather alternately. It is pretty generally 

 conceded that the decay of timber is attributable to the sap contained in its 

 " cajnllary ducts^^ or sap ])ores; that timber which is the most porous, as cotton- 

 wood and poplar, with heavy flow of sap and quick of growth, decaying the 

 soonest. It is a well-founded fact that all timber contains within itself the ele- 

 ments of its own destruction, and when severed from its root and deprived of its 

 active life-sustaining principle, the sap filling the pores of the wood, and capil- 

 lary attraction no longer actively existing, it becomes stagnant, fermentation 

 takes place, and destruction begins. The seasoning of some kinds of timber, if 

 kept dry, arrests its decay, the watery parts of the sap in the capillary ducts 

 becoming evaporated. But it seems as though the germ of decay is yet retained, 

 for, when exposed to moisture, like " bakers' yeast," it is brought into active 

 life and decay again commences. The destruction of the sap, or its entire ex- 

 pulsion from the pores of the wood, it seems, then, is of the greatest importance 

 to a thorough preservation of the timber. For the past two years it has been 

 with much iutei'est that I have watched the progress of experiments made by 

 a gentleman of much genius and skill residing in this vicinity, in his efforts at 

 preserving timber. His method consists in boring one or more holes diagonally 

 with the sap ducts or canals, filling with a white composition, and plugging up 

 the holes, the entire cost of which is two cents for posts, and ten cents for rail- 

 road ties. I made an examination a short time ago of a white poplar post and 

 a hemlock railroad tie which he had operated upon two years ago or more. 

 Both were in a perfect state of preservation, the wood sound, compact, and 

 solidified. The application of a microscope of two hundred diameters to sec- 

 tions of the wood, in each case disclosed the fact tliat the sap pores were filled, 

 with the composition, thus perfectly embalming it and causing it to look as 

 though it might last for all time to come. This process of preserving timber is 

 patented, and is called " foremanizing," in honor of B. S. Foreman, its inventor." 



Through United States Consul J. M. Bailey, esq., of Glasgow, the following 

 recommendation has been communicated by ]\Ir. John Eeid, a successful timber 

 merchant : 



"Permit me to mention what was done long ago by the Romans, and can be 

 done yet at very little expense and trouble, viz : charring the wood. If the 

 fencing is to be of hard wood, let it be cut at the proper season, well dried of 

 natural sap, and, if circumstances permit, perhaps the best way is to have a fire 

 constructed for the purpose. Give the timber a slight coat of tar or oil to facili- 

 tate the process, which, if properly attended to, is both quick and effective." 



