WOOD PRESERVING DEPARTMENT 



1061 



few years the clear living water was flowing steadily out 

 from a living tree. It continued to grow, and in fact, 

 grew so thriftily that the persons who own the place have 

 been compelled to put in a new and longer spout be- 

 cause the tree, increasing its girth, threatened to grow 

 around and over the original spout. 



These various ways which the trees have of renew- 

 ing their growth show that they are not entirely de- 

 pendent upon seed. They also show that the trained 



forested must know the habits and history of each of 

 the trees with which he has to deal. Of course, this_ is 

 only a part of the forester's knowledge, because he not 

 only has to know how to make trees grow in the best 

 way, but he has to know what kinds of trees are the most 

 useful for various purposes to which wood is put. It 

 can be seen, therefore, that to be a successful forester 

 one needs to know pretty nearly everything that can be 

 known about trees and their uses. 



Wood Preserving Department 



By E. a. Sterling 

 The Modern Application of Wood Preserving Methods Various Treatments and the Use of Treated Ji'oods 



TEN years ago maple was practically unknown as 

 a railroad cross-tie, being included in the list 

 of woods that decayed too quickly for this pur- 

 pose. Today it figures quite largely under the 

 head of "miscellaneous hardwoods," while in some 

 regions it constitutes a considerable percentage of 

 the ties treated. Clear hard maple is too valuable 

 for flooring and other purposes to be used for ties, 

 so for treatment the tops and smaller trees are utilized. 

 Maple takes creosote treatment fairly well, being 

 in much the same class as beech and red oak. It 

 does not treat as uniformly as some of the other 

 woods, but absorbs creosote sufficiently well to become 

 fully protected against decay. Like most other woods 

 which do not take full penetration, it is best to bore and 

 adz the ties before treatment. 



ANEW idea which promises to give greater 

 economy through saving of creosote, and equal 

 protection has been developed and applied by the 

 Columbia Creosoting Company of Portland, Oregon. It 

 consists of painting the ends of ties, poles and other tim- 

 bers with a cheap preparation which prevents excessive 

 endwise penetration. It is well known that the tendency 

 of all woods is to absorb the preservative most freely and 

 to the greatest depth in the direction of the grain. Doug- 

 las fir and other refractory woods will often show a pene- 

 tration of a foot or more with the grain and perhaps 

 only half an inch or an inch transversely with it. This 

 endwise penetration is often more and deeper than 

 needed, and out of all proportion to the protection on the 

 other faces. A waste of oil is the result, and it is to 

 prevent this that a coat of paint is first applied to the 

 ends. The oil will go through the paint for a sufficient 

 distance to give the needed protection against decay. 

 Ties for the railroads of India have been treated in this 

 way, and the process deserves investigation in connec- 

 tion with eastern woods. 



A NOTHER unique treatment has been developed by 



/ \ this same company. It aims to secure more uni- 



* ^ form penetration across the grain by punching a 



series of small holes to the depth desired. A machine 



has been designed which punches ties at the rate of 75 

 linear feet a minute, the holes being one inch apart across 

 the grain and in staggered rows 8 inches apart with the 

 grain. The depth of the holes is about one inch, and 

 one-eighth inch in diameter. The strength is not re- 

 duced since the fibers are pressed apart and not cut; 

 yet the oil is given a chance to distribute itself uniformly 

 from the holes to an extent which would be impossible 

 without them. The same process can be applied to poles, 

 making the treatment deeper at the ground line where 

 most needed. 



A NUMBER of well-known wood preserving ex- 

 perts, including Geo. E. Rex, Dr. Herman von 

 Schuenck, O. M. P. Goss, Goeffry Winslow and F. 

 D. Beal, will meet at the St. Helens Creosoting Company 

 plant at St. Helens, Ore., the first week of November. 

 A very important series of tests are to be conducted, as 

 final demonstration of a more economical and effective 

 method of creosoting Douglas fir which has been de- 

 veloped. 



The wood paving block campaign continues to be 

 waged with marked success by the lumber associations, 

 both independently and in cooperation with the creosot- 

 ing interests. During the current year contracts have 

 been awarded for yellow pine creosoted blocks in the 

 south amounting to over 300,000 yards. In the Chicago 

 territory fully 1,000,000, and in the east upwards of 750,- 

 000 square yards have been brought out. On the Pacific 

 Coast the paving interests competing with wood block 

 have long monopolized the field. A better understanding, 

 however, is now developing, and the people are learning 

 that well treated and properly laid Douglas fir blocks will 

 give the best possible street paving or factory flooring. 



THE railroads continue to use and develop the wood 

 preserving knowledge and practice. The com- 

 mittee on wood preservation of the American 

 Railway Engineering Association is to hold a meeting the 

 early part of November to discuss the further elaboration 

 and standardization of treating practice and preservative 

 specifications. 



