108 OF WOOD IN GENERAL. 



acetates prepared on a large scale from pyroligneous acid are 

 those of lime, the brown containing from 60 to 70, and the grey 

 from 80 to 85 per cent, of acetate. In the preparation of these 

 naphtha is recovered ; and from this, by neutralizing with lime 

 and re-distilling, wood spirit or methyl alcohol. Wood-tar, used 

 for creosoting wood and in the manufacture of roofing-felts, is a 

 thick, dark, viscous material, containing from 5 to 20 per cent, of 

 acetic acid, from 30 to 65 per cent, of pitch, and from 20 to 45 

 per cent, of tar-oils. From these last, creosote, a colourless, 

 highly refracting oil, with a specific gravity of 1'04, boiling at 

 406 F., and paraffin, used for candle-making, are obtained, by 

 neutralizing with carbonate of soda and further distillation. 



Dyeing and tanning. Finally, somewhat apart from these 

 other uses to which woods are applied, is the employment of 

 certain species for dyeing and tanning. Of the former the most 

 important are Logwood (Hcematdxylon campechidnum L.), which 

 dyes red or black, and of which we import over 50,000 tons 

 annually from Central America ; Fustic, a yellow dye, obtained 

 from the wood of the large West Indian trees, Chlorophora 

 tindoria Gaud. ( = Madura tindoria D. Don) and its varieties, 

 xanthdxylon and dffinu ; Sappan or Yellow-wood, from Ccesalpinia 

 Sdppan L. ; the red dyes known as Brazil, Braziletto, Nicaragua, 

 or Lima wood, from Ccesalpinia crfeta L., Irasilie'nsis L., echindta 

 Lam., C. bijuga, and C. tindoria Camwood, Bdphia nitida Afz., 

 from West Africa ; and Red Sanders or Sandal-wood, Pterocdrpus 

 santalinus L. fil., and Adendnthera pavonina L., from India. 



Barks are more used for tanning than are woods ; but the 

 Quebrachos, the produce of several South American species, have 

 been a good deal employed of late years. 



