Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1882-10-12

served, but were quite seriously atacke
ny worms; ; those posts coated with !Iut VAR
we're perfectly sound a. Wleu first pat il,
he ground; those painted with petroleum
aha Kerosene were equally sound and ~
good as new. In future we shall treat all
posts IN the following manner before setting:
Let the posts get thoroughly dry, and then,
with pan Of cheap Kerosene and white
wash brush give the lower third OF tile post,
the part to 60 into the ground, two or three
good applications OF the oil, letting it soak
in well each time. Posts so treated will not
be troubled by worms Or insects OF any kind,
bat will resist decay to remarkable degree.
This we find to be the simplest, easiest,
cheapest and best method of preservation.
Commenting upon this, the Country Gen.
tteman says:
No single experiment, or no single series
of experiments under like circumstal Cas,
can be adopted as a rule for unlike condi-
tlons. Our own observations and sxperi-
ments have led uniformly to the opinion that
coal tar (applied warm to dry woody is a
good preservatiVe for timber under ground.
or exposed to wet and shade; but does
more harm than good if exposed to the ac-
ton OF the sun and weather. But varying
circumstances may vary the rule. The
character of the soil may have a con1rolinu
Influence, and experiments should be repeat
ed in different places and on different kinds
OF wood. The experiments of Mr.. Earle are
valuable contribution to such series OF
trials. For general application, we would
recommend first impregnating the whole Of
the post with crude petroleum as a general
preservative, and when dry apply hot tar to
the portion going into the ground, but none
above. The petroleum will penetrate the
pores and the tar coating will hold it there,
Prof. W. j. Bea, of the Michigan Agri-
cultural College, has tested the theory that
posts set in the ground in position the re-
verse from which they stood while growing
in the tree, will lastmuch longer than when
set ''tep end up" He says:
In the spring of 1879 l selected seasoned
sticks three feet long. These we1e split in
two and cut in two, making four pieces Of
each. One set was placed in we'll drained
sand, the other in clay soil. In every case.
two pieces were set side by side, with earth
between; one as it stood in the tree. the
other reversed. | tried thirteen kinds OIL
tlmoef. Some OF these are young wood
with bark on. All contained some hard
WOOD. Those growing in sandy land have
just been examined. In case of the beech.
sugar maple, ironWood, black ash and black
cherry, the piece reversed or placed stop
end down. was somewhat more decayed |
ln case OF red maple, American m, the re-
verse piece was triflle the soundest In
case OF Eastwood, white ash, white oak and
Dlue ash, there was no perceptibe differ
ence. inter that where one piece decayed
more than the other, it was caused by some
trifilng difference in the sticks. The freshly
sawed ends in each case were placed MINER.
most and came an inch or so above the
ground.
The Builder and Worher has this to saw on
the same subject:
me sap or moisture goes up in the sap
wood from the roots to the leaves of the
.rees. L found if the post is butt end down
The pores are open upward, and water can
90 up and thus keep the post moist between
wind and water, which must cause rapid
lecay. 1t appears probable that the pores
we're only open upward aud not downward.
n tree. 10 test this, cut small maple
apling 1.-TWO inches through) in May, leav-
ng the limbs all on, and placing the butt
'nd in pail of brine. In thirty-six hours
he leaves were saturated with this brine.
he taste of the salt being strong. At the
anne time had cut another maple sapling.
md cut off the top branch, leaving the rest
# the limbs on. After winding a cloth
round the butt end to prevent evaporation.
placed the top end in pall OF brine, and
flowed it 10 remain several days. but no
rIne had been absorbed at the top end. II
lad not penetrated the pores as far as the
nd immersed in the brine, for if the bark
we're scraped there was not the slightest 6
aste of salt to be found. This being the
ase In the green tree, how much more must