Part II.] Pearson: Antiseptic Treatment of Timber. 2o 
India. This expert, who was good enough to submit a report on the 
subject of the possibility of Creosoting in India, writes as follows : — 
“ The comparatively low boiling points of the tar acids is a factor of 
importance in warm climates. It appears to me that Creo¬ 
soting which even in Europe is expensive, would be more so 
with you, and further as Creosote would certainly be quickly 
rendered volatile in tropical countries, one is led to believe 
that it would be unsuitable to your conditions.” 
( 2 ) THE HASKINIZ1NG OR VULCANIZING PROCESS. 
Basis of Haskinizing Process. 
The process of Vulcanizing wood, as invented by Colonel Haskin 
differs in toto from all other processes, for instead of injecting an anti¬ 
septic solution into the timber he makes use of the substances already in 
the timber, and under considerable pressure and at a high temperature 
produces sterilisation of the wood-fibre, wood-cells and wood-vessels. 
The principles on which Haskin evolved his process depended on the 
fact that albuminous food was necessary to, the life of fungi and insects. 
If by any process these albumens can be so altered in constitution that 
they are rendered useless to these destroying agencies, the chances of de¬ 
terioration in the timber are very considerably reduced. Now albumens 
coagulate at a temperature varying from 71° —94°C, so that by heating 
timber and especially green timber, the albumens form a coating on the 
cell-walls of the wood. They also under heat and pressure form new 
substances. Mr. Chandler, of the School of Mines, Columbia College* 
New York, writes that he examined timber which had been treated 
by the Haskin Process, as well as untreated timber of the same species* 
He states that the treated timber had undergone a radical change 
by being subjected to the action of heat, and that 11*91 per cent, of new 
substances had come into existence. Of these, 0‘36 per cent, were 
neutral oils and turpines and 10*78 per cent, consisted of resinous acids 
and other bodies, a very considerable proportion of which was made up of 
antiseptic and preservative substances. 
The second factor introduced by Haskin in his process was to subject 
the timber to pressure. The basis of this idea was founded on the fact 
that lignification of the heartwood of a tree is produced under great 
( 96 ) 
