PRESERVATION TREATMENT OF KEMPAS PILES TAKEN FROM SWAMP AND HILL FORESTS

Abstract

Preservative treatment of kempas piles taken from swampy and hilly regions was carried out on a preliminary basis. The preservative used was copper-chrome-arsenic and the samples were subjected to full cell process at 0 and 1 week drying time. Treated samples were analysed for their chemical absorption and dry salt retention. The swamp kempas absorbed a higher amount of copper-chrome-arsenic preservative solution than hill kempas. The increase in preservative loading after one week drying for the swamp and hiU kempas was 33.2 and 21.2% respectively. The dry salt retention for hilly and swampy kempas was increased by 2.1 and 4.7% respectively. The percentage of area penetrated for swamp kempas was 80 to 100% and for hill kempas 59 to 61%. Swamp kempas showed a highly significant difference in fibre length, width, lumen and wall thickness from hill kempas. The pore diameter of swamp kempas was slightly smaller but the number of pores was greater. The number of rays per mm in the radial direction and the number of ray cells in swamp kempas were greater but the ray height and the number of seriate were less. The penetration of chemical in swamp kempas was higher due to the greater number of vessels and rays.