CHAPTEK XXXI 



HOW TO PROLONG THE LIFE OF FENCE POSTS» 



The chief requirement in a wood for a fence post is durability. 

 For this reason cedar, white oak, and locust have long been the 

 princiiDal trees used. Although formerly plentiful over large 

 portions of the country, these trees are now in many sections 

 becoming too scarce and high-priced to be used for this purpose. 

 Substitutes, either in the form of iron, reenf orced concrete, or of 

 the less durable woods, will soon have to take their place. It is 

 doubtful whether iron or reenf orced concrete will ever come into 

 coimnon use for fence posts, because such posts are too expen- 

 sive. Nearly every wood lot, however, contains trees that are 

 not now utilized to any extent for fence posts, because their 

 woods are not durable in contact with the soil, such as maple, 

 birch, beech, cottonwood, Avillow, hickory, elm, etc. Fortunately, 

 such woods can be made durable at small expense, by a preserva- 

 tive treatment and can be utilized in the place of the more dur- 

 able woods. Posts that ordinarily last but three or four years 

 in the ground, can be made to last over twenty years by preserv- 

 ing the wood from decay. 



Simple methods of prolonging^ the life of fence posts. — Any 

 method by which wood can be kept dry or that will tend to 

 prevent the entrance of the fungus plant (causing decay), will 

 prolong the life of fence posts. Piling stones, ashes, or gravel 

 about the base, or setting the post in cement, or concrete, will 

 help to drain away the moisture and will prevent the growth of 

 weeds, which keep the air from circulating freely around the 

 post. Thoroughly seasoned posts will last much longer than 

 those that are set green. Good results have been obtained by 

 charring the ends of the posts over an open fire. The posts must 

 be thoroughly seasoned to prevent splitting or checking, and the 

 charring must extend at least six inches above the surface of the 

 ground when the post is set. Painting the surface of the post, or 

 coating with some preservative substance like tar, petroleum or 

 creosote, will help to keep out the moisture and will also tend to 

 prevent the entrance of fungi. To be effective, this "brush 



' By permission of Missouri Agri. Exp. Sta. 



470 



