Commercial notes and scientific information. 



103 



at the Paris Exhibition of 1855, that the Government accepted his suggestions, and 

 on June 19, 1857 legal measures were enacted for reclaiming the Landes according 

 to Chambrelent's plans. 



Hasterlik does not mention the experiments in cultivation made by Bremontier, 

 although it is true that these were restricted to the sandy dunes bordering the sea. 

 Bremontier, in the years 1787 to 1793, systematically carried out his plan for coun- 

 teracting the movement of the soil of these sandhills, and his system i3 still carried 

 out by the Government. The forests on the dunes extend over about 20 000 acres, but they 

 only constitute about one-tenth of the entire forest area of South Western France of 

 which the existence is due the suggestions made by Chambrelent. 



Detailed particulars of the turpentine oil industry in the Landes are given in a 

 lengthy article by Vezes 1 ). He accurately describes and figures the modern stills, and 

 enumerates the many patents in a separate schedule. 



At present the turpentine oil which is prepared in British India is consumed within 

 the country itself; but there is a possibility that larger quantities may be distilled in 

 the future and that the oil may make its appearance upon the European market 2 ). For 

 this reason the Imperial Institute, London 3 ), has examined a series of samples of 

 turpentine oil from Pinus longifolia and determined their constants as well as their 

 behaviour on boiling. In comparison with the ordinary turpentine oil of commerce it 

 is noteworthy that the oil from Pinus longifolia contains very few constituents of low 

 boiling point, a fact to which we have already called attention 4 ). The Imperial Institute 

 has also discovered that Indian turpentine oil evaporates more slowly, and leaves a 

 larger residue of resin, than does the turpentine oil of commerce. It is true that zinc 

 resinate is more readily soluble in ordinary than in Indian turpentine oil, but it would 

 appear that in spite of this the latter product may be used in the preparation of 

 certain varnishes. 



With regard to its commercial value, Indian turpentine oil probably equals the 

 exported Russian turpentine oil (see p. 104). 



The table below shows the behaviour on boiling of a crude and of a rectified 

 turpentine oil from Pinus longifolia and of an ordinary turpentine oil bought in London: — 



B. P. of Fraction 



up to 165° 

 165 „ 170° 

 170 „ 175° 

 175 „ 180° 

 180 „ 190° 

 190 „ 195° 

 Residue and loss 



1 



-rom 





From ordinary 



Pinus 



longifolia 



turpentine oil 



Crude Oil 





Rect. Oil 



bought in London 



— 





— 



85 p.c. 



43 p. c. 





56 p.c. 



6 „ 



40 „ 





33 „ 







8 „ 





4,5 „ 







3 „ 





1,5 „ 





9 „ 



6 „ 





5 „ 







Samples of turpentine oil from Pinus excelsa and P. Khasya, which had been sent 

 to the Institute from Dehra Dun were also examined. i 



The constants of the turpentine oil from Pinus excelsa were as follow: d^-J 0,862, 

 « D 4-36° 40'. 74 p.c. of the oil boiled between 157 and 158° (« D + 37°10'), 16 p.c. 



l ) La Technique Moderne 1912, February and March. From a copy kindly sent to us. — s ) Comp. Report 

 October 1912, 106. — 3 ) Bull. Imp. Inst. 10 (1912), 539. — 4 ) Comp. Report April 1911, 116. 



