16 WOOD TURPENTINE. 



The cost of operating destructive distilling plants, including offic< 

 expenses, labor, fuel, and packing products, is variously estimatec 

 by the owners and exploiters at from $2.50 to $6 per cord, while th< 

 charges for interest and the depreciation of plants are figured at fron 

 60 cents to $1.60 per cord of wood distilled. The cost of operating 

 a steam distilling plant is estimated at from 47 cents to $1.82 

 cord and the charges for interest and depreciation are from 24 centi 

 to 61 cents per cord. The cost of operating plants may be sum 

 marized as follows: 



Relative cost of operating steam and destructive distillation plants. 



It must be borne in mind that in destructive distillation other 

 products, such as charcoal, pine oils, and rosin oils, are produced, the 

 value of which, under proper conditions, should more than cover the 

 greater cost of operating the destructive process. 



The cost figures given vary so widely that it is quite evident thai 

 they may be greatly reduced by proper equipment and more rapid 

 handling of the material. This statement applies particularly to the 

 steam processes, in which this laboratory has found that the average 

 time of distillation may be greatly reduced without lowering yields. 

 Indeed, the greatest field for improving the wood-turpentine industry 

 lies more in reduced cost of production than in increasing the yields 

 per cord of wood, though there are, of course, great possibilities here 

 also. In the examinations which have been made of wood- turpen- 

 tine plants in the South, one is particularly impressed with the crude- 

 ness of equipment and the wasteful labor conditions which prevail 

 in most cases. Even in the most modern plants decided improve- 

 ments in arrangement and operation could be made. The possibili- 

 ties of increasing profits by improvements in these particulars seem 

 to be exceedingly inviting. Necessarily, improvement along these 

 lines can only be made by competent management, and all such plants 

 should be under the control of or have the advice of an able chemical 

 engineer. The cost of production may also be largely reduced by a 

 proper location and affiliation of the plant. 



