COMMERCIAL USES OF LONGLEAF PINE 



901 



Courleiy of the Southern Pine Association. 



LOXGLEAF PINE TREES TAPPED FOR THEIR "GUM" 



Thousands of acres of these trees are tapped in this manner each year for their "gum," (Oleo-resin) from which resin and turpentine are derived. 

 The old methods of tapping resulted in killing a great many trees in a few years but the modern and improved methods are not so harmful. 

 Formerly the "gum" was collected in holes or boxes out of the base of the trees. Xow cup systems are used, the one invented by Prof. Herty 

 a few years ago being considered among the best. Turpentine stills are scattered all over the yellow pine belt. The "gum" gathered from the 

 trees is placed in these stills and heated. The lighter portion comes to the top and passes off as vapor, which when condensed becomes the 

 turpentine of commerce. The heavier portion is drawn off from the bottom. It becomes resin. 



of resin and timber, and many cup devices were tried, 

 so as to do away with the box, but it was until about fif- 

 teen years ago that Professor Charles Herty perfected 

 the cup and gutter system which bears his name. Other 

 cup systems have come in since, and today the old waste- 

 ful "boxing" system is rapidly being abandoned. 



Crude resin is collected in barrels, hauled to the tur- 

 pentine stills and distilled. The turpentine being the 

 lighter product comes off first and is collected in barrels. 

 The heavier resin remains in the still and is drawn off 

 at its base. In the early days turpentine was the most 

 valuable product, but now resin is more in demand. 



Today the title of "naval stores" is rather a misnomer, 

 since their use is now so largely in the arts and industries 

 rather than in shipping. Turpentine and resin enter 

 into the manufacture of paints, varnishes, papers, soap, 

 lubricants, rubber goods and in the pharmaceutical in- 

 dustries. Turpentine sells for about AZyi cents per gal- 

 lon wholesale, while resin of the best grade is worth 

 about $7.50 per barrel, and pine tar 83/2 cents per gallon. 



THE TURPENTINER AND HIS METHODS 



The turpentiner is almost a nomad. It takes only five 

 years to exhaust an "orchard," which means that he 

 must move almost that often. So he moves his still, his 

 house, his store and all his other possessions and starts 

 anew. He generally has his own crew of negroes who 

 follow him from place to place, and depend upon him 

 for employment, supplies, counsel and protection. Some 

 of the turpentine men have in their employ negroes 

 whose fathers and grandfathers were the slaves of their 

 fathers and grandfathers. Without the negro, it would 

 be difficult to carry on the naval stores industry. Life 

 in the turpentine camps is often even rougher and more 

 primitive than in the old time logging camp, yet some of 

 the turpentine operators carry on their establishment in 

 the spirit of the Old South. 



LONGLEAF PINE LUMBERING 



Longleaf lumber was first used locally in the region 

 of its occurrence. In the sections of the South where 



