UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

 FOREST SERVICE 



(Prom the Forest Service, United States Derartment of Agriculture 



Sai Francisco Office) 



1913 A RECORD YEAR IN 

 TIMBER PRESERVATION 



The most notable progress yet recorded in the chemical 

 treatment of timber to prevent decay was made in 1913, according 

 to a report recently issued by the American wood preservers 1 as- 

 cosiation in cooperation with the forest service of the depart- 

 ment of agriculture. 



The report states that 93 wood preserving plants in 191C 

 consumed over 108 million gallons of creosote oil, 26 million 

 pounds, of dry zinc chloride, and nearly 4 million gallons of 

 other liquid preservatives. V/ith these the plants treated over 

 153 million cubic feet of timber, or about 23 per cent more than 

 in 1912. The output from additional plants unrecorded would in- 

 crease the totals given. 



Impregnation of wood with oils and chemicals tc increacr 

 its resistance to decay and insect attack, the report ?ces on to 

 say, is an industry which has become important in the United State- 

 only in recent years. In Great Britain and most of the European 

 countries practically every won den cross-tie and telephone cr 

 telegraph pole receives preservative treatment. In the United 

 States less than 30 per cent of the 135 millirn cross-ties annu- 

 ally consumed are treated., and the proper treatment of an annual 

 consumption of 4 million p~les may be said to have scarcely 



