200 Production of Turpentine in the Southern States. 



hardens on cooling, and becomes a more or less translucent and 

 sometimes almost transparent solid, of various shades of yellow and 

 brown, known in commerce as " msin." 



794. Both of these products are of important use in the arts, the 

 former being much used in the preparation of varnishes, india- 

 rubber goods, patent leather, etc., and in painting. It is an ingre- 

 dient in " camphine" and other burning fluids, and is employed in 

 medicine. Rosin is largely used in the manufacture of soap, can- 

 dles, paper, sealing-wax, and a vast variety of other articles, and 

 when it can be cheaply procured, it makes an excellent illuminating 

 gas. Before the late war, many villages and cities were lighted by 

 gas made wholly from rosin, but the high prices that this event 

 occasioned made it necessary to substitute the cannel-coals. 



795. In former times, turpentine was produced to a limited extent 

 from the yellow or Norway pine (Pinus resinosa), and the pitch 

 pine (P. rigida), in the Middle and Eastern States; but the chief 

 source of supply within the United States is now almost wholly de- 

 rived from the long-leaved or yellow pine (P. australis) of the 

 Southern States. 



796. The "Pine Belt" extends from a little south of the Roanoke 

 river, in North Carolina, through that State, South Carolina, Geor- 

 gia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, into the edge of Texas. 

 It is also found extensively in Florida. This belt is generally from 

 50 to 150 miles from the coast, and of variable width, the borders 

 being often not sharply defined, and the whole blended more or less 

 with other trees. Sometimes it occurs in detached masses of consid- 

 erable extent. The differences that occur in its distribution within 

 these limits will probably be found due to geological causes. 



797. The " Pine Belt," where it begins on the north, is about fifty 

 miles wide, but as it extends further south and west it widens in 

 some places to twice this width. This species thrives best on mod- 

 erately hilly, dry, and sandy soils. In level regions with a retentive 

 sub-soil it does not succeed as well as other species. 



798. The mode of procuring turpentine, as heretofore and at 

 present practiced, is wasteful and destructive, as compared with pro- 

 cesses we will presently describe, and is generally as follows : 



799. In winter the trees are " boxed," by cutting a hole in the 

 side, about three inches wide, six inches deep, and twelve inches 

 long, near the foot of the tree, forming a cavity that will hold about 



