Seasoning requirements for the wide range of forest products which are treated with preservatives and fire retardants must be capable of dealing with a very complex set of conditions which are summarized under a number of variables including type and hazard of end use, the most effective distribution of preservative, a wide range of cross sectional dimensions, the possibility of seasoning by a range of special methods which are in part dependent upon available treating facilities and a wide range of physical properties of the wood including, for example, its permeability to fluids. In addition, the wide range of species utilized in end uses requiring preservation means that large inventories are associated with certain seasoning processes such as air drying to the cost of the treater and consumer. There have been trends to use rapid seasoning methods wherever possible, such as boultonizing, and there are now trends to extend the use of other drying methods to some of the products of a larger cross section which are given preservative treatment. These products include railway cross ties and utility poles, and the methods include, for example, vapour drying and special techniques of kiln drying.

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