APPENDIX. 



THE NAVAL STORE INDUSTRY. 



The resinous product of the Longleaf Pine furnishes the raw material for the production of 

 naval stores, one of the most important industries in connection with the resources of the 

 American forests. At present the bulk of these stores used in the world is derived from the 

 forests of Longleaf Pine, and hence this industry is almost entirely confined to the coast pine belt 

 of the Southern States, the proportion contributed by France, Austria, and other countries being 

 insignificant. 



For the year 1892 the foreign export of spirits of turpentine alone amounted to over 260,000 

 casks and the total production exceeded 3.50,000 casks. To produce this amount of spirits at least 

 2,.500,000 acres must have been in orchard, and since over one-third of the total production is 

 furnished by orchards being worked for the first year, over 800,000 acres of virgin forest must be 

 attacked annually to supply present demands. 



Under the name of naval stores are comprised the products derived directly or indirectly from 

 the resinous exudation of coue-bearing trees, mostly pines, including tar, the product of the 

 destructive distillation of the wood of pines highly charged with resinous matter. The name is 

 undoubtedly derived from their extensive consumption in the shipyards and on board of vessels. 

 These products are : 



KESIN, OR CRUDE TURPENTINK. 



The resin of the Longleaf Pine recently exuded is almost colorless, or of a pale straw color, of 

 the consistency of honey, having a terebinthiuous odor and taste, and like all substances of the 

 same class is insoluble in water, but soluble in alcohol, ether, and spirits of turpentine. It con- 

 sists of a volatile oil and a solid resin held in solution partially suspended in the former. The best 

 quality is obtained during the first year the tree is worked, known as "virgin dip" or "soft white 

 gum," which is almost colorless and contains the largest quantity of volatile oil. In the following 

 year it is of a deeper yellowish color, the "yellow dip," which with each succeeding year becomes 

 darker in color, more viscid, and poorer in volatile oil.' 



The resin toward the close of the season produced on the tree under the influence of a cooler 

 temperature is called hard gum, or scrape. This solidified resin of whitish to yellowish color 

 contains only half of the quantity of the spirits of turpentine obtained from the dip or soft gum. 

 By the distillation of the crude turpentine the naval stores of most importance to trade are 

 obtained. 



SPIRITS OF TURPENTINE, OR OIL OF TURPENTINE. 



Spirits of turpentine, or oil of turpentine, is the volatile constituent of the resin. This liquid 

 when freshly prepared is colorless, of a peculiar odor and taste, of a density varying between 

 0.85 and 0.87, volatile at ordinary temperatures, boiling between 304° and ;!20^ F. It turns polar- 

 ized light to the right, a characteristic feature of the American spirits of tur])entine, most of the 

 spirits from other sources polarizing the light to the left. In its pure state this volatile oil is free 

 from oxygen, being a hydrocarbon of the composition of CioHi6. It is highly inflammable and 



' It is still ail opeu iiuestioii whether this deterioratiou is necessary or only owing to faulty m.iiiipnlation. 

 Experiments to settle this nuestiou are now iu progress in the Forestry Division. 



67 



