AMERICAN INSTITUTE. ^ 367 



our country in cultivating best ship timber, such as live oak. 

 white oak, red cedar and locust, all of which would soon become 

 scarce. He said that on the left bank of the Hudson, up the 

 river, he had found noble, perfect locust trees of the largest size, 

 for which, as they were house or mansion ornaments, he had paid 

 one hundred dollars a piece for his ship building. 



Mr. Waring had found benefit to his bean poles by charring the 

 ground ends of them — double duration. 



Mr. Swan — My chestnut posts charred at bottom, last five years. 



Daniel Robinson had observed the benefit of charring. 



Orange Judd remarked on the preservative quality of asphaltum 

 and thought that a coat of melted asphaltum might be very use- 

 fully and economically used on the bottom ends ol posts. The 

 asphaltum costs but about four dollars per ton, and a very small 

 quantity would sufiice for a post — not exceeding one or two cents 

 for each post. 



Mr. Clapp — Unless the wood is fully seasoned before it is used 

 for posts, dry rot frequently ensues, and timber rapidly grown 

 will only last about half as long as timber of slow growth. 



Dr. Smith remarked on the strong action on wood or metals at 

 the surfiiice of the ground — probably due to- electric influence — 

 showing the point at which we should aim to preserve our posts 

 or metalic fences. 



The Chairman mentioned rosin oil as put on the bottoms of 

 posts and then set on fire so as to produce some charring on the 

 surface — and various degrees of charring practiced by him — such 

 are sound after ten years standing on his farm — upside down more 

 durable than butt down. Corrosives ublimate applied has kyan- 

 izing effect preservative. The railway sleepers on Amboy rail- 

 road, kyanized nearly 30 years ago are good yet. The cost of 

 fencing in this country is immense. It has been said that those 

 of Pennsylvania only, cost ten millions of dollars. 



Dr. Wellington observed that Prof. Mapes has now by his long 

 remarks, violated the rule he himself had established, as to crisp 

 and curt facts. 



The tree of which posts should be made should be of mature 



