SAP-STAIN, MOLD, AND DECAY IN GEEEN WOOD. 39 



South. It was desired to test in a more practical way some of the 

 antiseptics that had been used on a small scale during prelimi- 

 nary experiments at the Madison laboratory. In these experi- 

 ments first-grade escort spokes 2-| by 2^ by 27 inches long of red oak 

 were used. They were selected mainly for two reasons: First, red 

 oak in a green condition was the wood, of all those used at this par- 

 ticular mill, which seemed to be the most liable to mold and sap- 

 stain; second, the escort spoke was convenient to handle in connec- 

 tion with the dipping apparatus employed. 



AH spokes were taken directly from the warehouse after turning 

 and grading. It was noted that 80 to 90 per cent of them contained 

 sapwood varying in amount from 5 to 100 per cent. 



In lieu of dipping tanks it was decided to use whisky barrels of 

 50-gallon capacity. Three of these were placed on a platform in 

 the mill yard beside the tracks upon which the trucks were operated. 

 One barrel was equipped with a steam coil of bent ^-inch iron pipe 

 provided with shut-oif valves (fig. 17). This coil, when connected 

 with the main steam boiler, supplied the necessary heat for main- 

 taining the temperature of the dipping solutions. A piece of cor- 

 rugated, galvanized-iron plate, approximately 2 by 6 feet, when 

 supported in a slanting position with the lower end resting upon the 

 top of the barrel, served as a drain board. Iron tongs similar to 

 those used by blacksmiths, hydrometers, thermometers, and a gallon 

 measure completed the list of essential apparatus. 



The following antiseptics were applied in the form of solutions or 

 in a dry state : 



(a) Barrett's grade 1 liquid creosote, 10 per cent by volume. 



Perfection kerosene oil, 90 per cent by volume. 



Temperature, 80° to 90° F. 

 (&) Barrett's grade 1 liquid creosote, 10 per cent by volume. 



Perfection kerosene oil, 90 per cent by volume. 



Temperature, 150° to 155° F. 



(c) Powdered borax, 5 per cent by weight. 

 Water, 95 per cent by weight. 

 Temperature, 80° to 90° F. 



(d) Mercuric chlorid (C. P.), 1 per cent by weight. 

 Hydrochloric acid (commercial), 1 per cent by weight. 

 Water, 98 per cent by weight. 



Temperature, 80° to 90° F. 



(e) Dry salt (finely grained). 



if) Dry quicklime (finely powdered). 



The spokes were conveyed to the dipping barrels on trucks. There 

 they were grasped by means of the iron tongs, immersed from 5 to 

 10 seconds in the bath, and then placed on the corrugated-iron drain 

 board (fig. 18). When practically all of the excess liquid had 

 drained off they were again grasped with the tongs, loaded upon 

 another truck, and wheeled to the north end of one of the open sheds 



