Both

fire-retardant treatment in 1956 in comparison with that tr-eated.during 1955, according to W. W.-Barger, president of tl.re American \\rood-Preservers'Association and chief in,spector, tie and timb_er treating dept. of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Co., Topeka, Kansas.

The official 1956 report has just been released. Its statistics represent the output of 325 rvood-preservinq plants (8 more than reported in 1955) of which 229 weri pr"..ur"treating plants, 73 non-pressure. and 23 equipped'for both pressure and non-press_ure processes.,Wood treated by these plants is protected against decay, termites, and otherinsects and marine borers, or is made fire retardant.

The total volume of wood treated in 1956 was 257.9 million cubic feet, of which about 95/o rvas treate<l by pressure processes, about the same proportion as in 1955.- Iircreases rvere.noted in the production o{ piles (21%), poles (lS%), su'itch ties (11/o), crossarms (8/o), and ltrnrjrer una ti-bers (4/o).