248 THE EARTH OR ROCK OILS OF AMERICA. 







the oil commences to flow of its own accord. Most of the works are rude, 

 and scarcely a well is worked to its capacity. Much of the oil territory is 

 in the forest, the fuel for generating steam is green, and the whole thing is 

 in its infancy. When a year shall have passed, and experience shall have 

 taught owners and operators the true system to be pursued, the supply will 

 be very much increased. The demand seems to augment with the supply. 

 The refineries are not able to fulfil their orders, and it is scarcely used in 

 the rural districts. I hope scientific men as well as dealers will turn their 

 attention to it. It is understood here that large quantities of a similar 

 product from the valley of the Irawaddy finds a market in London." 



The proprietor of the land in which the Enniskillen Mineral Oil Springs 

 are situated, on the Sydenham river, Western Canada, has erected a suit- 

 able building thereon, and is now manufacturing, by distillation, a beautiful 

 burning oil from the raw material which abounds in that region. The article 

 is described as of most superior quality, and its illuminating properties are 

 so great that an ordinary sized lamp, giving a light superior to six or eight 

 candles, can be kept burning at the rate of one-fourth of a cent, per hour, 

 reckoning the oil at one dollar fifty cents, per gallon. 



I received, a week or two ago, a sample bottle of earth oil from 

 Boston, stated to be obtained in a neighbouring State, from a well 

 lately discovered, and said to be equal, if not superior, to any pre- 

 viously met with in that part of the world, and that it could be shipped 

 at the rate of 500 barrels a week, if a market were found for it. It was 

 asserted to yield nearly seventy per cent, of fine limpid oil, and would pro- 

 bably give more if care were taken in refining : 10,000 gallons were stated to 

 have been refined and sold by this correspondent at a low price. It answers 

 for lubricating, burning, and other purposes, and the solid part is used for 

 making paraffine candles. On examination this oil appears to be com- 

 pounded, and very different to the ordinary petroleum oils of com- 

 merce. A large quantity of petroleum, from various sources, now 

 comes into commerce, and Price's Candle Factory, and others, are pur- 

 chasers of it. 



The following report on it has been furnished me by Mr. Dugald 

 Campbell : — 



" Feb. 21, 1861. 



" Sir, — I have examined the sample of the American earth oil which 

 you left with me, and beg to report as follows : — 



" The oil is of a dark, greenish-brown colour, and has somewhat of a 

 pleasant etherial odour ; it is as near as may be free from water, and gives 

 no sedimentary matter, even on standing for many days. Its specific 

 gravity at 60° F. is 860°. When distilled in the ordinary way the loss is 

 small, considering that decomposition has taken place in it to a considerable 

 extent, and the really pleasant smell is now supplanted by an unpleasant 

 empyreumatic one, which is noticeable throughout the whole distillate, and 

 is not removed from it much by agitation with strong caustic soda. The 



