Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1914-08-11

firmly In place until completely ser
vered are being cut
When the scar is not naturally point-l
ed above and below, 1T is good prac-,
tise on most trees to remove q short
triangular piece of bark from the
upper edge, so as to anticipate it's
dying back at these points. This
make the scar poiEssd ct both ends.t
the most favorable shape for healing.
1t is important that some good shellaoi
be applied with a suitable brush over
the edge of the bark and outer wood
Immediately after the cut is made III
the scar is large one, it is a good
plan to use the knife around the edge
for one or two minutes and then shell
lac the freshly cut surfaces, repeating
the operation until all the bark and
sap wood around the scar has been
sbellacked. The full benefit of the
shellac will not be achieved II many
minutes elapse between the cutting
and the shellacking, unless the freshly
cut surfaces are visibly moist with
sap. II necessary, the woody surface|
of the scar may now 30 smoothecI
off with chisel and mallet to conforms
in general shape with the tree trunk.
AntIseptlc and Waterproof Dresslngs.I
The final operation is to sterilize
and waterproof the surface OF the ex-
posed wood and bark. For this prr-
pose many preparations have been
used. Recent extensive tests by spe-
cialists in timber preservation indi-
cate that some of the creosotes stand
far ahead of all other tested prepara-
tons In their power to destroy and
prevent the growth of certain wood
destroying fungi and that ordinary Gre
osote, although it does not head the
list, is far better than the other prep
aratlons except some of the less
known and less available creosotes.
Furthermore, creosote penetrates the
wood better than watery antiseptic.
Commercial creosote can be applied
with an ordinary paint brush over
every part of the exposed wood. The
entire shellacked and creosoted sur
face must finally be waterproofed by
painting it with heavy coal tar. A
single application of mixture of Gre
osote and coal tar (about one-fourth
or one-third creosote) has been quite
extensively used with good results.
Although one coating of this mixture
may at times be sufficient, it is ell
ways safer to follow it with a heavy
coat of coal tar.
A good grade of lead paint can be-
substituted for the tar, If desired, al
though it Is not generally considered
as satisfactory; or grating wax may
serve satisfactorily for small surfaces.
Asphalt and various preparations con-
tanning asphalt are excellent water
proof coverings and would doubtless
be more generally used we're it not
necessary 70 apply them hot. A good
and possibly more permanent method
of treating the scars is to char the
surface slightly with gasoline or al
cohol blast torch and then cover the
hot surface with heavy tar or hot
asphalt. Although heat is an excel
lent sterilizing agent, II does not pene-
trate as well as creosote and it kills
back the cambium or soft, forming
wood, to a greater extent.
Tools.
The necessary tools for digging out
decayed matter are few. As a rule,
two outside ground socket-handled
gouges Zone with a curved cutting
edge of about three-fourths Of an inch
and the other, perhaps one and a half
inches), chisel, mallet, a knife, and
an oilstone are sufi cient for ordinary
work. The gouges, chisel, and knife
should never be used near the cam
blum when they lack 8 keen edge, as
dull tools will inJure 1t. In cutting out
deep cavities, longer interchangeable
no 60 he he