NAVAL STORES 



179 



The equipment and housing of a modern turpentine distilling plant 



usually consists of the following: 



i still house a roughly constructed open shed containing the copper 

 still, loading platform and " worm " for condensing the vapors. 



i storage shed, separate from the still, for storing the turpentine. It 

 generally houses, as well, the kettle for heating the glue used in coat- 

 ing the inside of the turpentine barrels. 



i cooperage shed for making rosin barrels. 



i rosin screen and rosin barrel platform. 



Photofraph by {," -S. forest .berri. 



FIG. 51. Turpentine still at Clinton, Sampson Co., North Carolina. 



The capacity of the stills is generally from 15 to 20 barrels, but may 

 be as high as 40 barrels. 



The barrels of crude gum are dumped into the still after removing 

 the still head and gooseneck. The residue of gum, sticking to the inside 

 of the barrels, is removed by introducing live steam or by allowing them 

 to drain slowly. With " virgin " dip or the new fresh gum, the still is 

 only filled to three-quarters its capacity, while with ordinary dip only 

 about one-half the still is rilled and with old scrape only about one-third 

 the still is filled. This is done because of the danger of boiling up into 



