The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1919-04-04

| prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture
The fence-post problem is easily
solved on the farm by means of a sim
pie method of treating wood with coal
tar creOsote. Sap pine, red oak,
maple. beech, sycamore, black gum,
sweet gum and other abundant or in
feriOr woods by this means are made
years of service.
1t is essential that the timber be
peeled and thoroughly seasoned before
attempting to treat ii. Small flakes
of inner bark left on the wood check
or prevent proper absorption at these
places. Peeling is done most easily
during the spring months, but is car
ried on at other seasons of the year.
A spade is about the best common i'm
plement for use when the bark slips
easily, otherwise an AK or draw-knife
should be used.
Because they have a uniform alb
sOrbing surface of sapwood, round
sticks are more satisfactory than split
timber. With treated timber it is not
necessary to use the large-siZed line
posts commonly cut and used in the
past. BY using a post from three to
four inches in top diameter and long
enough to allow only a few inches
above the top wire, the cost is re-
Guccd for creosote and for labor in
handling, the post lasts practically as
long as larger sizes, and it affords
ample strength for the fence line.
These facts have been fully estab-
lished by means of experiments and
demonstrations carried on for more
than ten years by the forest service.
United States department of agricul-
ture. in cooperation with number of
state agricultural colleges in different
parts of the country.
Preservative Should Penetrate
In treating the posts it is important
TO get deep penetration of the pre-
sentative of from one TO two inches in
the butt of the post for a height of
one foot above the ground level when
the post is set in place. This is. OBJ
tanned by boiling the butt in creosOte
heated to about 30 degrees +. for one
to two hours, depending upon the
pOrosity of the wood, followed imme-
diately by bath in "cold" ESQ degrees
TO 100 degrees F.) creosote for about
the same period Of time The wood
cells, expanded and deprived of some
of the air by being heated. during the
cooling treatment gradually absorb the
desired amount of the creoSOte. The
tops obviously require only shalloV
treatment to last as long as the butts.
Where only single open drum or
tank is used, top treatment may be ac-
cOmplished by means of thoroughly
painting the tops with n brush, or
pouring hot creosote over the tops.
A very satisfactory outfit for treat
ing posts consists of an upright cylin-
drical tank for the hot treatment and
a horizontal rectangular tank or vat
for the cold bath. For applying the
hot creosote 10 the butts one of the
large sized gasoline or oil drums,
about y inches in diameter, is
very satisfactory for small opera
lions, but for larger or cooperative
treatment a cylindrical steel tank
feet in diameter by 4 feet in
height should be used. In either case
there will be needed horizontal steel |
tank about 8 feet across by 8 |
feet in height and feet in length, |
Or large enough to accommodate the |
corner posts.
A gasoline drum with one defective |
lead to be chiSeled out can often be |
obtained nj a cost of 50 to SO. The |
ank for the hot treatment obviously |
must be of steel and in all cases fitted |
or heating either with fire under
leath in an earth pit or by means of
steam pipes. Except in midsummer,
;ome heat must be supplied to the cold
ank. Where dressed lumber is rela-
IVY cheap, n satisfactory cold vat
AN often be made ct less cost by be-
NC built of dressed . by pieces laid
IN Il heavy flooring. 1t should be fit
ca for heating by means of an iron
,ipe circuit either extending over
ire on the ground or connected with
steam engine.