TURPENTINE ORCHARDING. 



A NEW AND MORE PRODUCTIVE METHOD HAS BEEN DE- 

 VISED BY DR. HERTY, OF THE BUREAU OF FORESTRY. 



THE Bureau of Forestry will shortly system represents a net loss to the 



issue a bulletin describing a new southern naval stores industry of $13,- 



method of working southern pines for 000,000 from boxing in one season, 



turpentine. This method is intended It is important to note here also that 



to replace the present wasteful and in- the ordinary labor used for all boxing 



jurious system of boxing. As the bul- operations readily adapts itself without 



letin cannot be published in time to extra cost or training to the working of 



reach turpentine operators before the the new system. 



present season's work begins, a circular This system was devised by Dr. 



lias been issued in advance for the pur- Charles H. Herty, an expert in the 



pose of giving operators an opportunity Bureau of Forestry, and under his 



to install the new system, and thus supervision received a thoroughly practi- 



.avoid the loss in quantity and quality cal test at Ocilla, Ga., during the season 



of products consequent upon another of 1902. Its essential features are as 



year of work with the old system of follows : 



tooxing. i. An earthen cup of the same capac- 



The forthcoming bulletin will deal ity as the standard box is used to catch 



with the turpentine industry in general the crude turpentine. At the top of the 



and with the economies that the new cup there is a stout rim, with a half-inch 



system makes possible. Here brief hole, by which the cup is suspended from 



mention only can be made of the prin- a nail driven into the tree (Fig. i). 



>cipal features of the system. Important 2. Two thin galvanized sheet-iron 



among these is the production of 23 per gutters convey the resin into the cup. 



cent more turpentine than by boxing These gutters are each 2 inches wide and 



and the yield of only the higher grades from 6 to 12 inches long, and are bent 



of resin. The cost of the new equip- lengthwise through the middle at an 



ment can easily be paid for from the angle of about 120, thus forming an 



extra returns of the first season, and angled trough (Fig. 3). 

 there will also be an additional margin 



of profit. Moreover, since there is no INSTALLING THE EQUIPMENT. 

 box cutting under the new system, the This system can be applied to trees- 

 least possible damage is done the trees ; previously boxed as well as to unboxed 

 shallow chipping only is necessary. timber. In placing the equipment on 



For the season of 1902 the production unboxed timber, two flat faces are pro- 

 of spirits of turpentine by the old system vided by means of cornering axes, a 

 of boxing amounted to 600,000 barrels, right-handed and a left-handed man 

 valued at $13, 200, ooo. The production working together. The first strokes 

 of rosin was 2,100,000 barrels, valued at with the ax are the same as in corner- 

 $4,200,000. The total value of the crop ing the box. Next, by upward strokes 

 was thus $17,400,000. Had the new of the ax, enough of the bark and sap- 

 method been applied to the same area of wood is removed to form flat faces one- 

 timber, the production of spirits of tur- half as high as the distance between 

 pentine would have been 1,050,000 bar- their outer edges. In this way the two 

 rels, amounting in value to $23, 100,000. men prepare a double face, correspond- 

 The production of resin would have been ing in width with that of the box which 

 4,675,000 barrels, worth at current would have been cut in such a tree, 

 prices $7,350,000. The total value of Two inclined converging incisions are 

 this product would have been $30, 450,- then made, one across each flat face, 

 ooo. This increased yield by the new for the reception of the two sheet- iron 



(127) 



