714 AMERICAN FORESTRY 



or until the majority now in place have These conditions are found in favor- 

 been removed. A more immediate sav- able combination at the. ground line of 

 ing, and one which would save the cost poles, where the moisture from the 

 of the poles as well as the expense of earth keeps the surface of the wood 

 resetting them, would be a treatment moist, and where, just underneath the 

 which could be applied successfully to surface, the soil maintains, except dur- 

 the millions of poles now in place. ing the winter season, a sufficient de- 



The conditions under which poles are gree of warmth for the fungi to de- 

 used vary so greatly that an average velop. It follows, therefore, that the 

 cost figure for pole renewals is difficult decay of poles appears from a few 

 to determine. Generally speaking, the inches above the ground line to a dis- 

 cost may vary from $1 to $2 per pole tance of a foot or more beneath, the 

 for country telephone lines to $100 or air being more or less excluded at the 

 more for the high poles in city streets, basal portion of a pole ; while above the 

 The initial cost of the pole varies from ground line, under ordinary conditions, 

 $1.80 for a 25-foot cedar pole to $16.21 insufficient moisture is present for the 

 for a 60-foot pole of the same, or rapid development of decay. 

 $17.08 for a chestnut pole of the same Despite the clearly defined factors 

 length, to which must be added the which cause the decay of poles at the 

 labor of setting, restringing wires, ac- ground line, and the annual renewal of 

 cessories, etc. A fair average for a millions of poles still sound at the top, 

 commercial line along railroads or no definite steps have been taken until 

 through country districts, with three to recently to reduce or prevent this waste 

 five cross-arms, would be about $10 per of timber. There has recently been de- 

 pole, including all items. This would vised by an old gentleman living in 

 mean that the poles now in use in the New Jersey a plan which promises to 

 country represent a value of $320,000,- materially reduce the consumption of 

 000, and that the annual renewals cost poles and greatly increase the life of 

 in the neighborhood of $40,000,000. It those now standing. If it succeeds it 

 is obvious that any treatment which will be another step in the reduction of 

 can be applied to the standing poles, the drain on our forest resources, 

 and which will increase the life of those AYhat is now known as the Lamb 

 now in use even a few years, will result pole treatment first renders innocuous 

 in an enormous saving. the decay which has already started, 



Practically all poles fail at the ground and then seals the ground line portion 

 line because of decay, and on account of the pole with an impervious preser- 

 of this weakening at the base have to vative coating, which prevents the 

 be replaced or cut off and reset, while evaporation of the preservative previ- 

 the top portion is still sound. This de- ously applied and prevents further de- 

 cay is caused by wood-destroying fungi cay by entirely eliminating air and 

 which have a definite origin and de- moisture. 



velop under the same fixed laws of The whole process is simple and in- 

 growth that govern the higher forms expensive, and consists of first remov- 

 pf vegetable life. Fungus growth has ing the dirt around the base of the 

 its origin in microscopic spores which pole to a depth of two to two and a half 

 are comparable to the seeds of plants, feet, and scraping or cutting off the 

 and as they are present nearly every- decayed portions of the wood. A hot 

 where, it merely remains for them to brush treatment of coal tar creosote is 

 find favorable conditions under which then applied liberally, which kills the 

 to germinate and develop the micro- living organisms of decay and pene- 

 scopic threads which permeate the trates the outer tissues of the wood, 

 tissues of the wood and destroy its A fire-proof casing is then placed 

 texture. The fundamental factors around the pole, the upper portion ex- 

 necessary for the growth of fungi are tending about six inches above the 

 moisture, air, and a certain degree of ground line and the lower portion from 

 warmth. eighteen inches to two feet below, mak- 



