Show ROUND POSTS A ARE MOST DURABLE I One Kind of Timber Will Last a aa aJ Long Longas as Others if Amount of Heartwood Is the tho Same Is a split spilt fence post as durable as asa asa as' as asa a round fence post This Is a question I frequently asked of tho the United States Stales Department of Agriculture The fact is Is 18 says Bays the forest products laboratory OnE one kind klud of post will last about as long as ns the other if the amount of ot heartwood Is the same sarno in both But Dut It if the p percentage of ot sapwood is In Increased increased In in- creased b by splitting the spIlt split post will willbe willbe be less durable and if the percentage of heartwood Is Increased it will be bemore bemore bemore more dui dumble ible le than a round one Posts of ot spruce hemlock or any of ot the tha true firs are exceptions to this rule because because because be be- cause their heartwood and ond sapwood are aro about equally durable When posts are ore to 0 be treated with creosote or other preservative a round post is preferable to split post because because because be be- cause of ot the comparative ease caso with which the sapwood can enn be treated The heart faces od on ri spilt split posts do not not as a rule absorb preservative well Split red-oak red posts will wUL take tako treatment treatment treatment treat treat- ment because the wood Is very porous but the heart bart faces of ot split posts of many other species notably white oak red gum and und Douglas fir resist the Ole penetration of ot preservative e cn under un un- under der heavy pressures |