782 Transactions of the American Institute. 



this country is tliat of the American "Wood Preserving Company, of 

 this city, who claim to have invented a process by which tlie fibers of 

 the softest and most easily Worked wood can be rendered as indes- 

 tructible as stone, and more enduring than iron. The process is simple 

 and inexpensive. It consists merely in filling the pores of the wood 

 with a preparation of resin, invented by Mr, Ileineman, which, it is 

 claimed, will prevent the entrance of water and matter soluble in it, 

 which ordinarily facilitates the decomposition of organic substances. 

 The process is also a protection againet the destruction produced by 

 worms, and also against dry rot, so frequently, and at times so rapidly, 

 destructive to wooden ships, to the beams of many of our edifices, 

 to our bridges, railroad ties, etc., causing annual losses of millions of 

 dollars and hundreds of human lives. 



The most common woods, such as pine, birch, hemlock, etc., which 

 have been subjected to this process, assume the appearance of the 

 more costly varieties of woods, and can be used instead of these for 

 the manufacture of furniture. Even after saturation the wood is easily 

 Avorked by ordinary carpenters' tools. It has all the l.)eauty aud 

 firnmess of the fine woods, and takes as clear a polish. 



If the process is really capable of all that is claimed for it, it cannot 

 fail to be very valuable. It will be curious if the art of preserving 

 wood, so well known to the ancient Egyptians, should be rediscovered 

 in this age and in this country. Yet this seems probable. The 

 specimens of wood from the pyramids, now in the Egyptian nmseum, 

 have the dark-brown appearance of the pieces subjected to Mr. Heine- 

 man's process, and even the most searching microscopic test fails to 

 discover any material difterence. Of course the practical value of the 

 modern process can be determined by actual experience only. If Mr. 

 Heineman has really invented a process by which the quality of the 

 cheaper kinds of wood can be improved, and the fibers at the same 

 time made impervious to moisture, and, therefore, indestructible by 

 ordinary infiuence, he has rendQred our commercial interests a valuabe 

 and important service. Every day brings some new use for wood. 

 It is demanded for the thousands of miles of railroads building in all 

 parts of the country, for docks, for ships, for buildings of every des- 

 cription; for many kinds of machinery and implements of agriculture. 

 These uses require an immense supply of wood, and the demand 

 grows greater every year. The importance of a process by which 

 wood may be improved and rendered less liable to destruction, can, 

 therefore, be easily appreciated. 



