50 BULLETIN 229, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



2. The face on trees from 10 to 16 inches in diameter shall not 

 exceed 12 inches in width, and the faces on trees above 16 inches in 

 diameter shall not exceed 14 inches in width. 



3. The height of the face shall not be increased by more than 16 

 inches each year the tree is tapped. 



4. Each streak shall not exceed a width of one-half inch or a depth 

 of one-half inch, the depth being measured from the dividing line 

 between the wood and the bark. 



5. Before the chipping season opens the rough outer bark shall be 

 scraped off over the entire surface to be chipped for each season, care 

 being taken not to penetrate the living bark. 



6. During the winter a space of at least 2\ feet shall be raked free 

 of debris about each tapped tree. 



PACKING NAVAL STORES. 



Buyers and exporters frequently complain that turpentine and 

 rosin barrels reach them in poor condition, unfit for further shipment. 

 In order to improve the standards of naval stores packages, the 

 Savannah Board of Trade in 1911 issued letters of instruction to 

 naval stores operators as follows : 



Turpentine barrels. — All barrels, whether new or secondhand, should be kept abso- 

 lutely protected from the elements, and not allowed to remain subject to rain and 

 sunshine at way stations and river landings. Glue will not take on damp staves. 

 Every barrel should be glued twice before being filled. Use only the best quality of 

 glue, as it is the cheapest in the end. Before gluing, see that your pot is absolutely 

 clean. Put into this 20 pounds of good glue and 5 gallons of water, and allow same 

 to soak overnight. On the following morning apply sufficient heat to melt up to a 

 temperature not exceeding 160° F. Under no condition whatever must glue 

 be allowed to boil, as this causes decomposition to set in, which causes the bad smell 

 usually noticed around glue sheds, and renders it utterly worthless. This amount 

 of prepared glue will be sufficient for 20 barrels. After gluing, barrels should be taken 

 off the trough and stood on the head for about one-half hour, after which time they 

 should be reversed, so that the surplus glue will run down equally on both heads. 

 The barrels should then be well and thoroughly driven, and after standing for 24 hours 

 should be given a second coat of glue, using the exact formula as before. They are 

 then ready to be filled in 48 hours, and if treated in this way there should be no turning 

 except for broken staves. 



Rosin. — Rule No. 9 of the Savannah Board of Trade says in part: "Rosin barrels 

 to be in merchantable order must have two good heads, not exceeding 1| inches in 

 thickness, staves not to exceed 1 inch in thickness; the top well lined." Too much 

 stress, therefore, can not be placed on the absolute necessity of carrying out this rule to 

 the very letter, especially regarding the thickness of staves and heading, for rule No. 

 10 specifically instructs the inspector to make a proper deduction in weight on all 

 rosin when the staves and headings are more than the prescribed thickness in rule 

 No. 9. In such cases, therefore, the operator will lose, as in addition to having the 

 deductions made, for which he receives nothing, he must pay the full amount of 

 freight to the railroad. Operators must see that every barrel is well coopered before 

 shipment; see that all four hoops are nailed on the barrels, and the heads cut to fit 

 close, and a good lining hoop as prescribed by rule No. 9 is in place. Staves must be 

 properly equalized. Staves should be 40 inches long, and barrels built on a 22-inch 

 stress hoop, which gives a well-shaped and easily handled barrel. 



