The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1909-01-14
HOW TO INCREAS E T Fl E
DURABILITY Or FARM
TIMBER.

One of the more urgent needs
of the grape and berry growers
is to increase the life OF posts.
Stats, trellises and other objects
of wood that they are obliged to
use in connection with their
work. 1t will also be Of very
great advantage and economy
to the farmer II he can lncrt ase
the life Of fence posts and rails.
barn timbers, etc. The study ct /
wood preservatives has passed |
beyond the experimental stage
and their use is now known TO
be practical and profitable. The
forester of the survey, Mr.. W. |
". Ashe, of Raleigh. has pre-
pared the following paragraphs
pertinent to the subject:
DC means Of frightening the
timber supply and at the same
me saving labor and expense
n repair and renewal Of wood
work on the farm is to add to
the durability of the timber used
FOR posts, stakes and buildings.
This is becoming more necessary
as the supply Of durable heart
wood becomes scarcer and less
durable kinds of wood and sap
timber, especiallyssecond growth
and short-leaf pine must be sub
stituted for them.
The Geological Survey office
has recently received two in
quiries which show the great in
terest the farmer and trucker
has in prolonging the durability
of timber. One inquiry was
from the manager Of large
vineyard which has to replace
more than 1000 scuppernong
grapevine posts yearly. The 9TH
er inquirer was interested in q
more durable berry stake. Meth
er Of these men could conven-
iently secure yellow or pitch pine
and were using sap short-leaf
pine wood.
The most durable woods to be
found in the coast region Of the
Southern States for posts, stakes
and like uses are the heartwood
of yellow or pitch pine, black or
red cypress, red sassafras, black
walnut, juniper, red cedar and
white oak. In many sections,
however, users are becoming d.
pendent upon sap pine, red oak
or other less durable woods for
practically all of their building,
post and stake material. Under
ordinary conditions the life Of a
sap pine post is not more than
three years. By proper season.
ing and treating it can be in
creased to 8 or 10 years, while
by similar treatment the life OF
more durable woods can be pro-
portionately heightened. In the
| first place, timber to be used
near or in contact with the soil
as for sleepers and stills for barns
posts, etc., should preferably be
cut in late autumn. At this sea.
son wood has less sap in it than
during either the summer OF
early spring. It is the food ma.
terial in the sap which accele
rates decay by furnishing a large
amount of soluble food for the
fungi and more minute forms
which live upon the woody tissue
and which by destroying these
are responsible for the decay 0.
the wood. If the timber is small
and the wood is to be uesd rount
or split for posts or like uses, i
should be peeled as soon as it il
cut and, if possible, racked gu
Of the weather until thorough,
: dry and seasoned. If it is SAW
timber, it should be we'll season
ed before it is used. Drying
wood, even of kinds like saE
pine, adds much to it's durability
This is due to the hardening O
the tissues which form the WOO
and probably is also due to
; chemical change in the plan
food which is stored in the sa
in the cells, rendering it les
soluble and consequently les
available for nourishing Woo
destroying fungi.
The durability of wood can /
. further increased by coating i
preferably with hot coal tar {
creosote, which are excellel
: preservatives. These not onl
keep out moisture as oil pai1
does, and which must be presel
for decay to take place, but the
r also have antiseptic propertie
which render the wood penetra
ed resistant to the fungi whiC
re cause decay. Cresote can
bought in Wilmington, Charlie
ton or Savannah and elsewhe
as we'll as at the pine wood di
tilleries. Coal tar can be secu
NIX en- from the gas works Of any
w. the larger towns. The usual pri
10. Of coal tar by the barrel is abo
10 cents a gallon.
To use these materials to t
best advantage they should
7 applied very hot, as this max
them thinner and thus they C
penetrate deeper into the woo
This cannot be done, however,
the wood is wet, as tie wat
r fills it's cells, retarding and pl
venting absorption Of the co;
ing material; and, therefore,
wood should be thoroughly d
if the best results are to be
Toured. Heat the tar or creost
in a deep kettle or large CT
sS Dip the lower end of the sta
or most in tho hot 1io,1id and M