14 N. J. Agricultural Experiment Stations, Circular 139 



man of the National Committee on Marine Borer Investigations, or 

 inform the writer at Rutgers College, New Brunswick, N. J. 



Our knowledge of protective coverings is relatively slight. Copper 

 paint as used on the bottom of vessels is of little use for piling, as it 

 soon rubs off. Thoroughly creosoted piling stood up fairly well in 

 San Francisco Bay during the recent invasion, though it must be 

 emphasized that even in the wharves having the best records, stand- 

 ing entirely on creosoted piling, as high as 30 per cent of the piles 

 showed more or less infection by the teredo. Any knot or bolt hole, 

 or any deep scar formed in handling the piling, gives opportunity for 

 the borers to enter. The storage and after-treatment of piling should 

 be attended to with as much care as the actual creosoting ; this is well 

 set forth in the report of the San Francisco Committee (4). 



Finally, it must be remembered that there are creosotes and creo- 

 sotes—some good, others very poor. Based upon their experience 

 in San Francisco Bay the San Francisco Committee has formulated 

 specifications covering the grades of creosote to be used and the 

 methods to be followed by the creosoting companies. These specifi- 

 cations are to be found in the report of the Committee (4). 



Recommendations 



The heavy invasion of the cypress platform by Teredo nuvahs 

 as described in this circular, shows that somewhere in Barnegat Bay 

 there must be infected wood. The menace of this to unprotected 

 woodwork in the bay cannot be too strongly emphasized. It is recom- 

 mended, therefore, that immediate inspection be made of the follow- 

 ing structures in Barnegat Bay: 



1. The public dock at Seaside Park. 



2. Private and public wharves at Berkeley. 



3. Traffic bridge from Island Heights to Berkeley (very important). 



4. Pennsylvania Railroad bridge crossing Toms River at Island 

 Heights. 



5. Falkenberg's wharf, Barnegat Pier. 



6. Pennsylvania Railroad bridge crossing Barnegat Bay from 

 Toms River to Seaside Park. (In response to a letter to the Division 

 Engineer, Trenton, N. J., informing him of the destruction of the 

 platform by Teredo navalis as herein described, a visual inspection was 

 made of the bridge on November 16, 1921. It was reported that only 

 a few of the piles showed signs of the work of borers). 



It would be most advisable in the last mentioned case to draw such 

 piles as show any signs whatever of the presence of Teredo. All the 

 piles in the bridge are creosoted, but if the experience in San Fran- 

 cisco Bay means anything to us, even treated piling is not to be con- 

 sidered immune from attack. 



Remember that all our old ideas regarding the nearness to fresh 

 water to which borers will come must be given up. We are not deal- 

 ing with the native shipworms, but with a foreign enemy, having 

 habits very different from those of our native species. 



Let us not wait until lives are lost next summer as a bridge or 

 wharf collapses with a holiday crowd, but let the inspection as above 

 outlined BEGIN AT ONCE. 



