138 TURPENTINE INDUSTRIES OF THE SOUTH. 



spirits of turpentine and 200 barrels of rosiu.^ The trees are scarified 

 every year anew, aud usually in large trees two or more boxes are cut. 

 When dead, the tree is cut for tar, or sawn into lumber, but for uses 

 requiring strength, trees that have been tapped are less serviceable, aud 

 are often rt-jected by engineers. 



A pamphlet recently jiublished iu the interest of the Macon and Bruns- 

 wick Railroad, in speaking of a region between the Oconee and the 

 Ocmulgee Elvers, in Montgomery, Telfair, Dodge, and Laurens Coun- 

 ties, Georgia, and its resources in timber and naval stores, says that the 

 estimated yield in yellow pine is between 10,000 aud 12,000 feet per 

 acre. Trees could be rented at $5 per thousand, could be chipped from 

 20 to 30 times in a season, aud would yield from 8 to 10 dippings. Con- 

 cerning the history of the turpentine industry, it makes the following 

 statement : 



Pievious to 1820, the production of turpentine was very small, being confined to the 

 region of North Carolina, between the Cape Fear River on the south aud the Tar River 

 on the north, the shipping depots being Wilmington, Newburn, aud Washington. Dis- 

 tillation was done to a very small extent, and in iron stills, upon plans very diiferent 

 from the present mode. Most of the products went to the northern ports, where some 

 little was distilled, and the balance was shipped to Great Britain in the crude state. 



Up to 1832, the getting of turpentine was confined to a space between the two above- 

 named rivers, and within twenty-five miles of the shipping porta alluded to above, the 

 quantity being sufficient for the consumption of this country, aud export to Great 

 Britain. In 1834, great improvements were made in distillation by the use of copper 

 stills, when the pioduct was increased, aud new distilleries were erected at shipping 

 points. In 1836, the manufacture of India-rubber goods caused a new demand for 

 spirits of turpentine, increasiug its value greatly, and creating a new demand for ter- 

 ritory near shipping points. Up to this time it was considered that the country on 

 the west aud south sides of the Cape Fear River in North Carolina would not yield 

 turpentine. A teat being made in 1837, the error was discovered, and the business 

 extended rapidly in that direction. 



After 1840, miiny of the operators left the old region, to operate In the new. Up to 

 1844, no distilling was done away from the shipping points, all being sent in from the 

 country in the crude state, and was manufactured about as follows : one-fourth in North 

 Carolina, one-fourth in northern cities, and one-half in Great Britain. Some spirits 

 of turpentine was used for illuminating purposes as early as 1832, in mixture with 

 high-proof alcohol. About 1842, rectified spirits of turpentine began to be used largely 

 as an illuminator, under the names of caniphene, pine-oil, &c. The mixture with alco- 

 hol was furnished under various new names, aud at cheaper rates (the patent having 

 expired), and was the cheapest light known until the discovery of petroleum, which 

 has displaced it. 



The increased demand for spirits of turpentine caused the production to increase, 

 and the gathering extended to States south, embracing South Carolina, Georgia, 

 Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi. The quantity of rosin produced exceeded the de- 

 maud, aud was not worth the handling, even at the ports. This caused distilling to 

 be done as near producing points as possible, which carried into the country numer- 

 ous distilleries. 



Previous to 1846 the tariff of Great Britain was such as to exclude imports of spirita 

 of turpentine and rosin. Free trade, however, was then authorized in spirits and 

 rosin, as well as crude turpentine, and shipments were made of all grades; the manu- 

 factured increasing and the crude decreasing, up to 1861, when business became 

 closed. 



Upon the opening of business in 1865, there was some stock on hand of spirits and 

 rosin in the South, which, with the old crude on hand, constituted the business until 

 the new crop of 1866 came into market, since which time the production has continued 

 regularly, but has not at any time reached an amount equal to 1860, the many uses of 

 the products of petroleum, where spirits of turpentine had before only answend, hav- 

 ing reduced the demand, and caused prices, in some localities, to be'unremunerative, 

 especially off from railroads or rivers, the hauling being exjiensive. 



The southern districts of France supplied Europe with turpentine during the jears 



1 The yield of soft turpentine is 10 to 12 pounds to a box, or 20 to 55 to a tree of 

 usual size. The boxes hold about three pints. A barrel of crude turpentine will yield 

 5 gallons of spirits of turpentine, and 62 to 65 per cent, of its bulk in rosin. The tap- 

 ping of the first year produces the fine light resin, and it grows darker from year to 

 year. A distillery of 40 barrels' capacity will distill crude product from about 350,000 

 boxes. 



