THE CREOSOTING OF TIMBER BY ABSORPTION. 63 
The following are recent tests :— 
(a) 143 cubic ft. of Scots pine scantlings, 12 ft. by 8 ins. 
by 2 ins., and 12 ft. by 6 ins. by 3 ins. The wood 
was cut on 16th July; it was put into the tank on 
28th August, and remained therein for 138 hours. 
The amount absorbed was 0°65 gallon per cubic 
foot. 
(6) 81 cubic ft. Scots pine sleepers, 8 ft. by 5 ins. by 2# ins., 
absorbed o°61 gallon per cubic foot in 18 days. 
These were all cut from trees of about 40 feet on the average. 
Mature redwood does not absorb so freely as younger wood. 
Posts and rails of the former quality are sufficiently creosoted 
after 48 hours steeping. Photograph No. 2 shows a spruce post 
treated in this way. It was taken from a post and rail fence 
in boggy ground, where it had been erected for ten years. The 
photograph shows how perfect is the preservation. ‘Throughout 
its whole length the fence was as sound and firm as if newly 
erected. Scots pine is more readily treated than spruce. 
This simple process enables timber to be economically utilised 
which would otherwise be almost unmarketable. The whole 
plant costs under 4 30. 
