THE WORK OF THE FOREST DEPARTMENT IN INDIA. 45 



^experience of adverse trade criticism and adverse maxkets, that 

 an iapparatus good enough for America was not good enough 

 for the maritime pine resin of the Landes and so, since 1900 or 

 "thereabouts, technical French engineers at Bordeaux, energetic- 

 ally assisted by the chemical section of the Bordeaux University, 

 have devoted much attention to the subject of the resin distilla- 

 tion. The result has been a score or more of patents, in all of 

 which fire heat is eliminated and complete control of tempera- 

 ture is maintained by systems of steam-heating and steam injec- 

 tion. France has thus been enabled to do the best with its pine 

 resin and produces rosin with a good reputation in the trade 

 and a thoroughly sound, merchantable turpentine. 



The lesson learnt in France gradually penetrated to India, 

 The primitive stills first used in the United Provinces and the 

 Punjab were re-modelled and modified till to-day the United 

 Provinces possesses a battery of stills and secondary apparatus 

 which ingeniously overcomes the defects produced by excessive 

 unregulated heat, while the Punjab, boldly scrapping its obsolete 

 plant, has erected a modern French one, modified to suit Indian 

 conditions, which is giving entire satisfaction by the excellence 

 of its products and the economy of its working. The Punjab 

 rosin has been recently pronounced in some respects superior to 

 French rosin by the well known paint and varnish firm of 

 Messrs. Wilkinson, Heywood and Clark, Limited, London, and 

 a large scale commercial test is now under contemplation defi- 

 nitely to determine the commercial value of Indian rosin in re- 

 lation to American, French and Spanish rosins. Such a test, if 

 favourable (as there is every indication of its being), will mate- 

 rially assist the Forest Department in capturing the whole of 

 :the Indian trade and that of Java, China, and possibly even of 

 New Zealand and Australia. The Indian turpentine too has 

 been standardized and certificate No. 1766-C., dated the 7th 

 July 1916, of the Railway Board Test House, Alipore, testifies 

 that the sample submitted (Jallo Factory, Quality I) gave " a 

 very satisfactory paint film " and " should prove very suitable 

 for paint manufacture." The turpentine is guaranteed up to 

 this sample and the Joint Sales Manager, Bhowali Post Oflice, 

 jSTaini Tal District, United Provinces, is alwa,ys glad to furnish 

 samples and quotations, either direct or through local agents. 



d2 



