No real special method. I just drizzle it on with a can or so. I just try not to pour too much at one time so it doesn't get all over everything. Let it soak in and then go for a second coat if need be. It keeps soaking in, so I reapply when ever it seems like it could need it. I've used a brush on other things before too and that works ok.
White pine, about 30" diameter crotch piece. Pine heartwood is surprisingly rot-resistant; I have some large pine logs that have been sitting on the ground for 15+/- years now, the sapwood is all punky and falling apart but the heart is still really solid.
This works well for me too. Before the splitter, I had a ~6” thick round from a holly tree (hollywood?) that worked well. That wood was very dense and hard to split. I’ve never dealt with elm but heard plenty about how tough it is to split. The little bit of black gum I’ve cut was too small to split.
