On the Preservation of Timber. 
5 
The objects sought to be accomplished really embrace these 
three points : — 
1. To protect the wood against wet and dry rot ; 
2. To increase its durability ; 
3. To reduce its inflammable and combustible character to 
a minimum ; 
which have accordingly become the aim of numerous ingenious 
patentees, who have employed a great variety of means and 
materials to accomplish their task. 
Classification of the Processes. — These several different 
plans and substances may be classified as follows : — 
I. The immersion and soaking of the wood in the preserva- 
tive liquid, as in Kyan's patent. 
II. The expulsion of the air by the application of the pre- 
servative liquid at a high temperature and allowing the 
whole to cool, thereby creating a vacuum in the pores of 
the wood, while the atmospheric pressure forces in the 
contents of the liquid, as in the process of Champy. 
III. The exhaustion of the air and moisture and admitting or 
forcing in the preservative material in a gaseous form, 
as suggested by INIoll, Bethel!, Laing, and others. 
iV. The exhaustion of the air and then forcing the pre- 
servative liquid into the pores of the wood in a close 
vessel under pressure, as in the processes of Payne, 
Breant, Bethell, and others. 
V. By allowing the preservative fluid to ascend along with 
the sap in the living tree, as proposed by Boucherie. 
Or by saturating the felled or sawn timber by ascension, 
by the action of the capillary force, as in the patents of 
Boucherie, Uzielli, Newton, and Le Gros. 
\ I. By forcing out the sap by the pressure of the preservative 
liquid confined in a water-tight bag at the upper end, as 
suggested by Uzielli. 
VII. By compression with or without the employment of any 
preservative material. 
VIII. By combining the albuminous principles with some 
poisonous, metallic, or antiseptic material, as in the 
patents of Kyan, Burnett, Bethell, Le Gros, Boucherie, 
and others. 
IX. By filling up the pores of the timber with solid substances, 
as in the patents of Treffry, Fons, Payne, Delafosse, 
Ransome, Assanti, and others. 
X. By employing saline solutions. 
