144 SCIENCE IN FORESTRY 



sulphate. Creosote is by far the most effective, 

 and by its use the life of the timber can be multi- 

 plied many times. Processes can be greatly im- 

 proved and probably cheaper preservatives dis- 

 covered. This means that woods which are naturally 

 non-durable and have been considered worthless 

 can be rendered equally valuable with superior 

 kinds. There will thus be less waste in the woods, 

 and the forester will be able to grow the species of 

 tree best suited to his soil and climate, even though 

 that tree has hitherto been considered of inferior 

 value. 



The work of the chemist has a further direct 

 bearing on the production of the forest, for the 

 industrial chemistry of wood has developed enor- 

 mously in recent times. Already the capital 

 invested in plant for this work amounts to many 

 million pounds, and the annual consumption of 

 timber represents the growth of many thousands 

 of acres. Germany alone uses 15,000,000-20,000,000 

 cubic feet a year. Among the substances produced 

 by the destructive distillation of wood are methyl 

 alcohol, amyl alcohol, ether, acetone, formaldehyde, 

 acetic, propionic and other acids, as well as various 

 tars. Further discoveries are being made and these 

 industries will assume still larger proportions. 

 There is thus a sure and ever-increasing market 

 for the forest produce and, what is of more import- 

 ance in some cases, material which is unfit for 

 building timber can be utilized, and material 



