The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-01-01
than those subjected 10 an
of these conditions.
Insects Are a Factor.
S play a very considerable
struction of mine timbers.
are found, including mark

Insects play a very considerable part in
the destruction of mine timbers. Many
forms are found, including mark borers,
ants and timber worms. Their presence
MAJ be due to allowing logs to lie IN
peeled for considerable time after fell
ing Jnsect-infested timber is frequently
overlooked by the inspectors and allowed
to go inside the mi1es Ants and ceram-
bycid borers may attack props after they
so in the mine. There decay spreads
rapidly, and the destructive work of the
insects appears to be in no way af-
fected by the lack Of light or by presence
OF gases. Creosote and carbolinium arc
effective Insecticides and stop the work
of the wood borers.
A mine prop Is composed of three
parts. which together form a "set"-two
uprlghts, called legs across the top of
which is a erosspece, called a collar.
After a prop is decayed sufficiently to
necessitate its removal 1t Is replaced.
At times when only one leg is decayed.
that leg alone Is removed and replaced
by a new one. Frequently. however, the
whole set Is replaced. and this involves
the destruction of all the logs by saw
ing them in two to remove them.
Various Personalities Tried.
Various materials and methods for pre-
servative treatment have been tried, and
up to the present time all have proved
efficient Only time will show which are
the most satisfactory from the practical
point of view. Applied with brush. creo-
sote and carbolinium give an excellent
penetration in cold wood frequently aver
aging from one-fourth to one-half an
inch. The amount of oil that seasoned
loblolly pine takes from brush appll-
cation is surprising, especially in the end
grain. Little difference in penetra tion has
as yet been noted between creosote and
arbnlipi1D tbO11ph I 10 hat
ter on absolutely green timber. All brush
treatments were applied hot and in two
coats. The second coat absorbed practical
ly as much oil as the first.
open tank treatment has succeeded be-
yond all expectations. This consists of an
immersion of the timbers for several hours
in preservative and then allowing them
TO cool to atmospheric tempere ture. While
| the feasibility of thu open tank treatment
has been demonstrated there is much
vet to be learned. The cost may be re-
duced by shortening the immersion and
thus consuming less fluid A very heavy
| treatment is not necessary. The best pre-
| servatives approximately double the ser
| viceable life of railway ties and may
be counted on to do the same or better
| for mine props. Seasoned and treated
props. which We're put i'm alongside of the
| old-style props, unseasoned and unpeeled
are as sound as ever. while the others are
! already showing signs of fungous growth
| and decay.
| Most of the props in the collieries in
vestigated are loblolly pine; Pennsylvania
| pitch pine furnishes 90 per cent black an6
| red oak 10 per cent The loblolly pine
comes from Maryland and Virginia, the
pitch pine from north central Pennsyl-
| vania and the OAK largely from New
| Jersey and Pennsylvania. The experiments
| have been made on lobolly pine, tho
| wood most used.