44 THE TREES OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



give it the preference over all our Pines. The qual- 

 ity of the wood, however, depends upon the kind of 

 soil in which it is grown, as in a richer mould it is 

 less resinous. This inferior kind is, in some places, 

 distinguished as Yellow Pine, — another case in point, 

 illustrating the vague and indiscriminate application 

 of the popular names of our forest trees. In some 

 soils the wood is of a reddish hue ; and this, in the 

 Northern dock-yards, is denominated Red Pine, and 

 considered better than the others. I am informed 

 that trees which have a small top indicate a stock 

 with the best heart-wood > 



The great value of this tree in both civil and naval 

 architecture is too well known to justify a full enu- 

 meration of its uses, and statistics of trade in it be- 

 long rather to a gazetteer than to an essay like this. 

 But it is not the wood only that gives value to this 

 tree. The resinous matter, in various forms, is 

 shipped from our ports in large quantities to all parts 

 of the United States and to foreign countries. Turpen- 

 tine is the sap in its natural state as it flows from the 

 tree. When it hardens upon the trunk, and is gotten 

 off by proper implements, it is called scrapings, of 

 very inferior value to the virgin article. Tar is made 

 by burning the dead limbs and wood in kilns. Pitch 

 is tar reduced about one half by evaporation. Spirits 

 of Turpentine is obtained by distillation from turpen- 

 tine, including scrapings. Rosin is the residuum left 

 by distillation. The greater part of these articles in 

 the markets is derived, I believe, from this State. 



