Part IV.] B. S. Pearson: Antiseptic Treatment of Timber. 107 
had only reduced the amount of moisture in the timber to about one- 
^third the necessary amount. The sleepers were examined after treat¬ 
ment and were found to have developed numerous small surface cracks. 
On examination of the interior of the timber the tissue was found to be 
-quite wet, though the pores, which are large and numerous in this species, 
were free from sap on the end section. 
Experiment II. — Oil- seasoning . 
The same plant, with the addition of a condenser pipe, was used 
in carrying out the oil-seasoning experiment. The cylinder was charged 
with metre-gauge £ Hollong 5 sleepers, in an absolutely green state. Hot 
oil was run into the cylinder, leaving a vacant space at the top, though 
submerging the sleepers. The heating coil was started at 9 a.m. and the 
oil gradually raised to 223°F. by 1 p.m., by which time If gallons of sap 
had distilled over. By 4 p.m., that is, 7 hours after heating commenced, 
4| gallons of sap had been collected. As, by this time, the condenser 
flow was much reduced, the heating operation was stopped, the cylinder 
was filled with oil and a pressure of 15 lbs. applied for 15 minutes. When 
running off the oil it was found that a little over 2 gallons of sap had 
collected in the cylinder, due to condensation of the vapours against 
the inside top of the cylinder. It might be contended that this was not 
sap, but as no live steam had been introduced, while the amount of water 
in suspension in the oil could also not possibly account for more than a 
pint at most, it is certain that this accumulation could be nothing but 
condensed sap. It is therefore necessary to add these two gallons, 
so collected, to the 4f gallons collected from the condenser pipe, in all 
<6! gallons. 
The results may be summarized as follows :— 
• TABLE XXXVI. 
Sleeper No. 
Weight be¬ 
fore treat- 
1 ment, in lbs. 
Weight after 
treatment, 
in lbs. 
Difference, 
in lbs. 
Heating j 
period. 
Amount of 
sap col¬ 
lected. 
Duration 
of pres¬ 
sure. 
Pressur e 
applied. 
I 
98-5 
99 
+ 0-5^1 
1 
II 
96 
100 
+ 4-0 
1 
7 
6f 
15 
III 
101 
100 
-i'°t 
hours. 
gallons. 
minutes. 
15 lbs. 
IV 
94 
97 
+ 3-oJ 
Total . 
389-5 
396 
+ 6-5 
Average 
97-4 
99 
+ 1-6 
[ 237 ] 
