NAVAL STORES 181 



improve the standards of containers for naval stores, this Board issued 

 in 1911 letters of instruction to the operators of stills, as follows: 



Turpentine Barrels. 



All barrels, whether new or second hand, should be kept absolutely 

 protected from the elements, and not allowed to remain subject to rain 

 and sunshine at way stations and river landings. Glue will not take on 

 damp staves. Every barrel should be glued twice before being filled. 

 Use only the best quality of glue, as it is the cheapest in the end. Before 

 gluing, see that your pot is absolutely clean. Put into this 20 Ib. of good 

 glue and 5 gal. of water, and allow it to soak overnight. On the fol- 

 lowing morning apply sufficient heat to melt up to a temperature not 

 exceeding 160 F. Under no condition whatever must glue be allowed 

 to boil, as this causes decomposition to set in, which causes the bad smell 

 usually noticed around glue sheds, and renders it utterly worthless. This 

 amount of prepared glue will be sufficient for 20 barrels. After gluing, 

 barrels should be taken off the trough and stood on the head for about 

 one-half hour, after which time they should be reversed, so that the 

 surplus glue will run down equally on both heads. The barrels should 

 then be well and thoroughly driven, and, after standing for twenty-four 

 hours should be given a second coat of glue, using the exact formula as 

 before. They are then ready to be filled in forty-eight hours, and if 

 treated in this way there should be no turning except for broken staves. 



Rosin. 



Rule No. 9 of the Savannah Board of Trade says in part: " Rosin 

 barrels to be in merchantable order must have two good heads, not exceed- 

 ing i^ in. in thickness, staves not to exceed i in. in thickness; the top 

 well-lined." Too much stress, therefore, cannot be placed on the abso- 

 lute necessity of carrying out this rule to the very letter, especially regard- 

 ing the thickness of staves and heading, for rule No. 10 specifically 

 instructs the inspector to make a proper deduction in weight in all rosin 

 when the staves and headings are more than the prescribed thickness in 

 rule No. 9. In such cases, therefore, the operator will lose, as in addi- 

 tion to having the deductions made, for which he receives nothing, he 

 must pay the full amount of freight to the railroad. Operators must 

 see that every barrel is well coopered before shipment; see that all four 

 hoops are nailed on the barrels, and the heads cut to fit close, and a good 

 lining hoop as prescribed by rule No. 9 is in place. Staves must be 

 properly equalized. Staves should be 40 in. long, and barrels built on a 

 22-in. stress hoop, which gives a well-shaped and easily handled barrel. 



