TURPENTINE FROM BRITISH FIRS. 349 



3UTy, and these boards might be compared with some frottt 

 a tree taken down in the winter, from which the turpentine 

 has not been extracted. It must, however, be noted, that 

 from the tree I have sent to the society, the turpentine has 

 only been running one year, whereas, in America, they 

 collect the turpentine from the same tree for three or four 

 succeeding years. It has been supposed and asserted, that 

 turpentine was only obtainable from the United States; but Turpentine 

 I have sui&£icnt documents to prove, if required, that a ™/[^'',^^.P'J'''"'^* 

 very large quantity of it can be procured from East Florida; quantity from 

 and I well remember, that about the year 1782, several ^''^'- ^^'''''**' 

 cargoes of turpentine were shipped in the river St. John's, 

 for Britain; and though that country is at present in the 

 hfends of the Spaniards, no doubt, arrangements might be 

 made with the Spanish government for a supply of that ne- 

 cessary article thence. It is my earnest wish, that, through 

 the medium of the Society of Arts, I may render any in- 

 formation tl)at may be serviceable to the interest of the 

 united empire; and I will, with pleasure, furnish farther 

 communication on the products of Florida and its com- 

 merco, if desired by the society. 



I am convinced, that tar might be produced from the Tar might be 

 refuse of firs of English growth to advantage; and that ^^^]^Q^le^^iseo^ 

 much better article might be made from them in Britain, British firs, 

 than any imported from America. The Scotch firs, in 

 England, from being planted at a greater distance from each 

 otlier than they are naturally found abroad, have much 

 larger knots, and greater numbers of them, than in Carolina, ^ 

 or the north of Europe, and would therefore produce more 

 tar, in proportion, from their refuse of wood, than the 

 trees of those countries. 



The pitch-pine of Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, and Pine-barrens, 

 the Floridas, grows to an immense size in what are there 

 called pine barrens, the soil of which is finer and whiter 

 than the sand used as writing-saud in Great Britain, and 

 the trees grow almost to the verge of high-water mark on 

 the sea-shores. I think it would answer a good purpose 

 for the society to encourage, by premiums, the extraction 

 of turpentine from British firs. I remain, 



Sir, Your obedient; and very humble Servant, 



H. B. WAY. 

 J, H. 



