Proceedings of the Farmers' Club, 367 



boiled egg, and the wood will last at least twice as long in conse- 

 quence. Woods differ greatly in the fineness of their grain. Tliis is 

 illustrated by the difference in hickory and chestnut. But the fine 

 grained wood generally decays quicker than the coarse grained, 

 because the air cannot penetrate the fine grained wood so as to dry 

 out the sap and stiffen tlie albumen. This is why a chestnut rail will' 

 outlast three of hickory, while in an axe helve, hickory will outlast a 

 dozen of chestnut. 



Tlie best process for preserving wood would be one that should first 

 expel the sap, then fix or coagulate the albumen, then load the pores 

 of the wood with a substance that will resist the action of moisture 

 and keep out the air. The processes of Burnett, Kyan, and Bouch- 

 erie, consist in injecting, by different means, the metallic salts of zinc, 

 mercury, or copper, into the pores of the wood. These processes are 

 all expensive, and in this country have proved unsatisfactory. The 

 methods of Bethel, Seeley, Robbins, Prindle, and the process of the 

 American Wood Preserving Company, consists in forcing, by means 

 of heat, steam, or hydraulic pressure, resinous and oily substances 

 into the wood. It is obvious that a method which shall, by an inex- 

 pensive apparatus, force into the pores of wood a cheap, yet firm 

 resin, able to resist the action of air and water, will come nearer 

 accomplishing the desired result than anything else. Without reci- 

 ting the chemistry and learning of the subject, the farmer may be 

 benefited by the following summary : 



1. Timber that grows on dry, rocky soil, unsuited to the plow, is 

 firmer and more lasting than wood grown on moist and rich soils. 

 Hence millions of acres that are now poor and profitless pasture would 

 pay better if allowed to grow up or if planted out with forest trees. 



2. In planting forests, the trees to be selected are locust, the rock 

 maple, black walnut and the European larch. On rough and rocky 

 lands the locust and the rough bark hickory will grow with more 

 profit than other trees. On the prairies that tree should be planted 

 which is found to resist the sweeping winds most effectually and to 

 flourish best on the prairie soil. 



3. The planting of trees on road-sides ought to be specially 

 encouraged by local legislation. 



4. In using many kinds of wood, and especially chestnut and 

 sappy pine for shingles, pickets trellises, etc., much durability will be 

 gained by boiling in lime-water or a weak solution of carbonate of 

 soda. The boiling coagulates the most perishable parts, and the alkali 



