Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 221, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 September 1915 — KEEP WHITE ANT FROM TIMBER [ARTICLE]

KEEP WHITE ANT FROM TIMBER

Much Serious Damage Done by Termite In Largo Cities of North and Throughout tho Southern States May Bo Avoided By Thorough Treatment.

Tho ravages of the white ant, which because of its Insidious work In timber and wood structures Is one of the most destructive Insects of North America, can be lllmted by comparatively simple measures, according to the entomologists of tho U. S. Department of Agriculture. This pest, known scientifically as the termite, attacks bridge timbers, wells, silos, telegraph poles, bean poles, mine props, fence posts and railroad ties, and the sudden crumbling of wharves, caving In of mines and the settling In of floors are sometimes directly due to Its hidden borings. Such large cities as New York, Cleveland, St Louis and Washington have known such serious depredations, and damage occasionally occurs as far north as Massachusetts and Michigan. Throughout the southern states the termites’ ravages are even more general. Some of the recommendations of the Department’s entomologists for dealing with this pest are as follows: Forest products in contact with the ground should be impregnated with coal-tar creosote, which is a permanent preventive against attack by our native termites. Coal-tar creosote has many properties which would recommend its use in this respect, for it is also a fungicide, and, being Insoluble in water, will not leach out in wet locations. These requirements furnish objections to many chemicals that otherwise are very effective insecticides. The various methods of superficially treating timber, as by charring, by brushing or by dipping with various chemical among which are creosotes, carbolineums, etc., have proven to be temporarily effective in preventing attack If the work is thoroughly done. If not thoroughly done termites enter through the untreated or Imperfectly treated portions, especially through weathering checks and knots. Where the bases of polqs, mine pfops, etc., are left untreated termites enter the timber from below, and avoiding treated portions come up through the interior. Charred timber is effective against termite attack for a period less than a year, although it is not seriously damaged at the end of one year. It will readily be seen that neither brushing nor spraying the exterior after placement, as is sometimes practiced, Is effective in keeping out termites-, since the portion that sets in the ground could not be treated, and it Is usually at this point that termite attack occurs.

Before treating timber with chemical preservatives, especially where the brush method is employed, it is essential that the timber be thoroughly seasoned, otherwise penetration by the preservatives will be retarded.

Many patented wood preservatives, advertised as effective against wood borers, often merely contain simple preservatives, as for instance linseed oil, to which a slight odor of oil of citronella has been Imparted, or contain simple poisons. For timber to be set in the ground, brush coatings with linseed oil are not effective against termites.

Impregnation with chlorinated naphthalene may prove effective against termites, as a preservative for woodwork in interior finish, where it is important that the preservatives should not “sweat” out or stain the wood. Treated wood blocks buried in the ground with termite-infested logs were not attacked after a test of nearly six months. Impregnation with paraffin wax was not effective In the Bureau of Entomology’s experiments. If the wood is not in contact with the ground impregnation treatments with blchloyid of mercury and zinc chlorid are effective. The mercury and zinc in this form are both soluble in water.