298 



MANUFACTURE OF BALSAM OF PERU. 



1863. stems with the back of an axe, a hammer, or other blunt 

 r 1 i~TT n e instrument until the bark is loosened, four intermediate strips 



Collection ot ,.-,, ii^iji ,,,** 



the Balsam, being left untouched that the tree may not be injured for the 

 next year. Five or six days after, men with resinous torches, or 

 bundles of lighted wood apply heat to the beaten bark, which 

 becomes charred. It is left eight days, during which the burnt 

 pieces of bark either fall or are taken off. As soon as they 

 perceive that the bare places are moist with the exuding balsam, 

 which takes place in a few days, pieces of rag (of any kind or 

 colour) are placed so as entirely to cover the bare wood. As 

 these become saturated with the balsam, which is of a light 



Rope Bag used for pressing the Rags. 



yellowish colour they are collected and thrown into an earthen- 

 ware boiler, three-quarters filled with water, and stirred and 

 boiled gently until the rags appear nearly clean, and the now 

 dark and heavy balsam sinks to the bottom. Fresh rags belonging 

 to the same owner are continually being put into the boiler 

 until sun-down, when the fire is extinguished ; when cold the 

 water in the boiler is poured off, and the impure balsam set 

 aside. During this process the rags that appear to have been 

 cleared of balsam are taken out of the boiler at different times 

 and given to a man to be pressed, by which means much balsam 

 is still obtained. The press consists of a small open bag about 

 fourteen inches long, made of stout rope fixed together with 



