76 Report of Schimmel § Co. April/October 1917. 



pear-shaped cistern, built of bricks. Before charging, the upper part of this large 

 chamber is broken out and enlarged in order to make room for the bulky black pine 

 root-stocks which are to be distilled. The grubbed-up and sun-dried root-stocks of 

 the black pines are chipped a bit, where-upon they are piled up in layers inside the 

 retort which is filled up to its neck. Then the opening is built up again to its former 

 size, a dome, attached to a long pendant pipe, is affixed, and the interstices are care- 

 fully luted with clay. The pendant tube terminates lower down in a likewise copper 

 coil, which, as already mentioned, lies in running water. With the help of a wooden 

 cock the distillation products are allowed to run over into the vessels standing ready 

 for their reception. Under the accessible bottom of the walled-up cistern a woodfire, 

 burning with a slight flame, but noted for its heat-producing qualities, is kept up for 

 about 3 weeks which gets the necessary draught from a short, lateral chimney, but 

 is hardly utilized to its full extent. First of all, very thin, watery, wood vinegar distils 

 over which is simply wasted, till drops of oil become visible on the surface of the 

 rivulet running in the ditch. Hereupon the liquid, containing more and more oil, is 

 collected in a wooden cask through whose lower bung-hole the watery wood vinegar 

 is occasionally allowed to run off; as soon as the cask is full, it is closed and is then 

 fit for transport. After 8 or 12 days, when the oil, which gradually becomes darker 

 in colour, begins to run more sparingly, the heat under the bottom of the retort is 

 increased and after some time the distillation of the thin tar begins which primarily 

 still contains a lot of oil from whose surface the pine oil is poured off after the liquid 

 has stood some time; now the tar which becomes thicker and thicker but still runs 

 off easily is conducted from the pendant pipe, eliminating the condensing tube straight 

 into casks previously placed in readiness, and at the end of the third week the operation 

 is interrupted. According to the greater or less demand for oil or tar, the logwood is 

 taken out of the distillation residue from the cooled-down retort, previously broken 

 open in its upper part, and the latter is charged anew with fresh root-stocks, or one 

 closes up the neck of the retort completely, after taking off the dome, in cases when 

 more tar is required, increases the heat of the fire to a considerable extent, and 

 distils the tar straight into an earth cavity by means of a hole struck in the side of 

 the retort, immediately above the hottest place, and with the help of a short,. inter- 

 posed pipe. Out of this cavity the tar is ladled by means of primitive long-handled 

 wooden spoons into casks. In this case the distillation-residue does, of course, not 

 consist of "logwood", but rather of an excellent coke for forging purposes. 



In proceeding according to this extremely simple method one obtains a non- 

 homogeneous mixture of acid water and light oil, of amber- to nut-coloured, more or 

 less resinous pine oil, and of thin tar which contains first of all a considerable amount 

 of oil that, however, rapidly diminishes. 



In a large plant, visited by Lange, more practical methods were in use; the oil 

 was allowed to settle in large glass bottles in full daylight and the somewhat bleached 

 oils united, after their being separated from water, according to colour and transparency; 

 the tar yield in these works was also separated into 3 portions of varying viscosity. 



The manufacture of cart -grease is always combined with that of pine oil, as it 

 finds a ready market in every direction, whereas the distillation -products have to be 

 sent a long distance for the purpose of refining and working up, even abroad. 



The most expensive part of the whole operation is the digging-up and preparation 

 of the root-stocks, as one charge of the retort, capable of receiving about 100 cbm., 

 costs 150 to 180 roubles. The distillation of 50 cbm. of wood, having a weight of 

 about 3500 kg. and requiring 12 to 15 cbm. of fuel (either poplar or pine wood), 



