T URPENTINE-F ARMING. 8 2 9 



together with many particles feeling likewise imperceptibly, it may 

 co-operate in manifesting feeling, which, like lightning, arises and van- 

 ishes. 



Through this conception, through acknowledging evolution and 

 the sense of feeling, the whole of Nature may be brought in harmoni- 

 ous connection. 



TUEPENTINE-FAEMDTG. 



By L. W. BOBABTS. 



FINDING myself in the pine-region of Southeast Georgia, and 

 thinking that some information on the subject above named may 

 not prove uninteresting to your readers, I will endeavor to tell to them 

 that which has been imparted to me by those thoroughly conversant 

 w T ith the whole business. 



A turpentine-farm consists of from five to forty crops of ten thou- 

 sand five hundred boxes each. The work is sometimes carried on by 

 the owners of the pine-forests themselves ; again, the trees are leased 

 out for a certain number of years, two or three being about the limit. 

 Negro labor is principally employed in this section. The work com- 

 mences in November, when the boxing of the trees begins. The boxes, 

 which are cut sloping back into the trees about a foot from the ground, 

 measure three inches back at bottom, four deep, and about seventeen 

 in length. In March they are cornered ; that is, a chip is taken off on 

 both sides just above the ends Of the boxes. Next the faces for drip- 

 ping are cut V-shape between and above the places chipped. The num- 

 ber of faces on each tree depends upon its size, varying from one to 

 three. Besides the original cutting of the faces, the trees are hacked 

 once a week during the dripping-season with a peculiarly shaped knife 

 suited to the purpose. The hacking increases the length of the faces, 

 as one or two inches of bark are taken off above each time. 



The dipping of the crude into barrels begins about the middle of 

 March, and the boxes are emptied seven or eight times during the sea- 

 son. They hold from one to two quarts each, and from 10,000 boxes 

 210 barrels is considered a fair, 250 a fine yield. The first year's 

 dripping is called "virgin," the second "yearling," and all after "old 

 stuff." From eight barrels of crude they get two of spirits of turpen- 

 tine, and five to five and a half of resin. Of the latter there are several 

 grades: W. W., "water-white"; W. G., "window-glass"; M, next 

 highest, and so on up the alphabet, but down in quality, to A, the letter 

 J being omitted. The first drippings, if not scorched in boiling, make 

 beautifully white, transparent resin ; hence the name " water-white." 

 The crude producing this can never be obtained from the trees after 

 the first month's running ; that for "W. G., "window-glass," possibly, 

 into July or August. 



