172 MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



SECTION XII. 



Turpentine, Rosin, Pitch. Burgundy-pitch, Frankincense* 



Pinus. Linpt. 



There are three varieties of pine-tree turpentine commonly known 

 under this name in Europe. I. The common turpentine, obtained 

 chiefly from the pinus sylvestris (Scotch fir). 2- The Strasburg tur- 

 pentine, extracted from the pinus picea, (silver fir); and, 3. The 

 Venice turpentine, procured from the pinus laryx (larch). To these 

 may be added two liquid turpentines : as, 4. The Carpathian or 

 Hungary balsam, which exsudes from the pinus lembra (Siberian 

 stone-pine). 5. The Canada balsam, or resinous juice of the 

 pinus balsamea (balm of Gilead fir). The fine fragrant Chio tur- 

 pentine, is not procured from a pine, but from a low shrub, the pis- 

 tacea lentiscus. 



Of the three first-mentioned turpentines, the Venice is the thin- 

 nest and most aromatic ; the Strasburgh the next in these qualities ; 

 and the common is the firmnest and coarsest. The two former are 

 often adulterated by a mixture of the common turpentine and oil 

 of turpentine ; and it is to be observed that the terms Venice and 

 Strasburgh turpentine are not now appropriate, as they are pro- 

 cured from various countries. 



Common turpentine is obtained largely in the pine forests in the 

 south of France, in Switzerland, in the Pyrennees, in Germany, and 

 in many of the southern states of North America ; and it has also 

 been occasionally obtained, though in small quantity, in our own 

 country. The greater part of what is consumed in England is, or 

 at least has been till of late, imported from North America. The 

 method of obtaining it is by making a series of incisions through 

 the bark of the tree, from which the turpentine exsudes, and falls 

 into holes or other receptacles at the foot. The age of the fir, when 

 first operated upon, is from thirty to forty years old. The coarse 

 bark is first striped off from the tree, a little above the hole into 

 which the turpentine is designed to run, down to the smooth inner 

 bark : after which a portion of the inner bark, together with a little 

 of the wood, is cut out with a sharp tool, so that there may be a 

 wound in the tree about three inches square and an inch deep. 



