RESULTS IN THE PRESERVATIVE 

 TREATMENT OF RAILROAD TIM- 

 BERS TO PROLONG DURABILITY 



BY 



Dr. HERMANN voN SCHRENK 



Bureau of Plant Industry 



I N a discussion of the railroads in their relation to 

 the forest there is no topic which is at this day of 

 such importance as timber preservation. We have 

 heard that there is probably no one interest in this 

 country to-day which can compare with the railroad as 

 a timber consumer, and certainly there is none which 

 has a more direct and vital interest in seeing that a 

 definite and constant supply of all kinds of timber is 

 assured in the future. It is my privilege to point out 

 in a few words what bearing the chemical preservation 

 of wood, with its attendant features, has upon the 

 general problem of future supply, and to what extent 

 the results obtained therefrom may lead to a more 

 economical utilization of forest supplies in general. 



In dealing with this subject I propose to consider 

 briefly the following points: 



1. Why railroads in their capacity as consumers of 

 timber are interested in preservation. 



2. Why railroads are interested in preservation from 

 a traffic standpoint. 



3. Why railroads are interested in timber preserva- 

 tion from the standpoint of economy. 



4. What preservation means. 



5. What results have been obtained. 



6. Some general conclusions. 



