FORESTRY IN COLORADO 7 



greater rate of decay than those which were set without any treat- 

 ment. Only about 4 per cent of the treated posts show any decay. 

 In such cases, it is mostly confined to one side of the post and 

 apparently has started from a deep crack or other defect. 



That any decay whatever should appear in the treated posts is 

 evidently due to the character of the preservative used. This was 

 gas tar from one of the local gas factories, and although a good 

 timber preservative in itself, yet it was of such thick consistency 

 that but little penetration could be secured by the open tank method. 

 Although diecay has made considerable progress in a number of the 

 untreated posts, it is still too early to determine exactly the com- 

 parison between the treated and the untreated posts. No exact 

 data can therefore be published concerning this experiment as to 

 the merits of the treatment given. In a general way, however, it is 

 safe to state that the treatment as given will be effective in prolong- 

 ing the life of posts from 50 to 100 per cent. 



STATE FORESTRY PROJECT 



PRESERVATIVE TREATMENT OF FENCE POSTS 



STATE FORESTRY INVESTIGATION 



PROJECT NO. i. 



On account of the lack of funds during the first half of the bien- 

 nial period just closed, and the uncertainty of the finances for this 

 work, the carrying on of this project has been greatly interfered with 

 as originally planned. A considerable number of posts from elm, ash, 

 soft maple, box lelder and cot^onwood trees growing on the College 

 Campus, however, have been prepared for treatment, and will be 

 handled under this project. 



A light portable saw mill has been purchased for working up 

 material too large for round posts. In this way it will be possible 

 to utilize the trunks of large cotonwoods up to 30 inches in diame- 

 ter by sawing them into square posts with a two-inch taper toward 

 the top. This mill has just been recently installed on the college 

 farm, and in connection with the treating plant which was erected 

 three years ago, will enable us to do effective work upon this pro- 

 ject. 



During the winter of 1913 and 1914, the farm department of 

 the College purchased 1.200 split Idaho Cedar posts which were 

 treated in the timber-treating plant under the direction of the State 

 Forester. These posts have also been included under this project 

 and records are being kept upon these posts for this purpose. In a 

 few cases local parties have been permitted to use the treating plant 

 for small lots of posts which they have furnished. These posts 



