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Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 980, 21 September 1881, Page 2

Dr. Boucherie found that it was an easy matter to force any liquid through the whole length of a piece of timber that had been newly cut, and had in it its sap in a liquid state. He discovered also that the capillary tubes through which the sap is carried, and which form the strength and value of the timber, were continuous, Lind without lateral connections ; for he could fasten a hollow ring, a cross, or a letter on to the end of a stick of timber, and then, by turning on. a pressure with a colored liquid, he could produce in the same color the same ring, cross, or letter at the other end of the timber. Long before his time, it was known that the elements of decay were in the sap, that the elements of strength and value were in the fibre of the tubes, and that they were carbon. By a simple train of reasoning, he came to the conclusion .that he could, by pressure, run water through these tubes and wash out the.organic matter, then fill the tubes with inorganic matter in solution; and in that way preserve the timber from decay. He adopted the sulphate of copper as the chemical to use, devised a simple and cheap apparatus, took out a patent, and started it into useful operation. If he ever attempted to force in a second chemical, and make an insoluble salt in the wood, I never heard of it. His apparatus 5 consisted of a wooden reservoir to hold his liquid chemical —this he erected some 25 to 30 feet above the ground, in the forest, or near where the timber was cut; some caps to go on the ends of the timber ; soffie flexible tubes to connect the reservoir with the caps ; some pumps to pump the liquid in the elevated reservoir, and the apparatus was complete. As far as I know, Boucherie never attempted to wash out the logs before running in the chemical, nor did he attempt to make an insoluble salt inside the timber;

but what he did do was a great step in advance in the preservation of timber, leaving us to improve on what he did and perfect the system.

Mr. Evans then suggests the following : —To cut logs to suitable lengths, fasten on one end of each a suitable cap, made adjustable to logs of different diameters, and then, with a portable pumping engine, first wash out the timber by forcing warm water through it under a pressure of 501bs. per square inch, or more, taking care to not heat the water sufficient to coagulate the albumen. By this operation the sap will be driven out, and, with it, much of the deleterious matter. Then force in the silicate of soda, colored, so it can be seen when the water has been pushed out; then, with another pump and pipes, force in under full pressure the chloride of calcium, the two forming, when combined, a silicate.; of lime. If this second chemical can be got through before the reaction takes place —resulting in the water of

the chemicals being hydrated and a dry insoluble salt formed —we may count with certainty on having timber that will last for ages, that cannot be burnt in any ordinary fire, that will not shrink much, that will most probably resist the ravages of the teredo and white ant, and that will not throw out noxiteus vapours, for you will-have timber that is partially stone.

We venture only one remark on the foregoing, and we can quote no more owing to limited space ; but if, as Mr. Evans says, timber, treated as he describes will be impervious to the dreaded teredo navalis, and the limnoria terebrans ; and that fire will not burn it, it might be interesting to learn in what way timber, for ordinary building purposes, could be rendered nonconsumable.