THE TECHNOLOGIST. [April 1, 1864. 



Irirntifir Jlnfe. 



Pyeolignite. — A company lias been formed in Tasmania, the object 

 of which, is to procure by dry distillation from the hardwoods of the 

 colony several products of considerable value in Europe, and for which 

 the demand is practically unlimited. These are Acetate of Lime, which 

 is the basis of most of the dyes used in Calico Printing. It is also the 

 material in the form of Pyroligneous Acid, from which White Lead and 

 Sugar of Lead are made ; and almost entirely supersedes the use of 

 Vinegar in the wholesale manufacture of Pickles, being, when properly 

 prepared, purer, stronger, and a far better preservative — Wood Naphtha, 

 which, on account of its far lower price, has been of late almost entirely 

 substituted for spirits of wine in the preparation of spirit varnishes — 

 and kreasote, which is now used in preference to any other article for 

 the preservation of timber. In Europe these substances are prepared 

 from oak and beech, of which the supply is far from sufficient to meet 

 the demands of the manufacturer, while the great value of the timber 

 only leaves the refuse at his disposal. The hardwoods of Tasmania have 

 been proved by careful and repeated trials to afford, at least, as much 

 of these products as oak and beech ; while the supply is, as every one 

 knows, unlimited, and the cost nominal ; whereas in England the price 

 is from 18s. to 22s. 6d. a ton. The superior facility of preparing the 

 whole trees of this colony more than compensating the difference in the 

 price of labour. The value of these products is as follows : — From each 

 ton of wood is procured — Acetate of Lime, from 80 to 120lbs., worth 

 from SI. to 15Z. per ton, according to quality — Wood Naphtha, from 1 gal- 

 lon to l£ gallons, worth 3s. 6d. per gallon — and Kreasote, about two gal- 

 lons, worth 2s. per gallon. Each ton of wood also yields about 15 gallons 

 of Tar, equal to Stockholm, before the Kreasote is extracted ; and six 

 cwt. of Charcoal, which may, in consequence of the low price at which 

 it can be sold, come into general use as a domestic fuel, especially for 

 culinary purposes ; or, if not, can be easily formed into artificial fuel, 

 far exceeding the best coal for steam purposes, and much cheaper. The 

 quantity of wood which could be w r orked up, by an expenditure of 

 capital less than that required for the Company, would be thirty tons a 

 day. The returns from which may be roughly stated as follows — 



£ s. d. 

 3,000 lbs. Acetate of Lime, at say 12s. 6d. per cwt. 16 14 10 

 30 galls. Naphtha, at Ss.^d. per gall . . .650 

 60 galls. Kreasote, at 2s. per gall . . . .600 

 9 tons of Charcoal, at 20s. per ton . . . 9 



£37 19 10 



Or, in round numbers, 371. In England, the products from a ton of 

 wood are valued at 1/. lis., but they are here stated at a much lower 

 average. 



