THE SCOTCH FIR OR PINE. 



361 



by a kind of distillation per descensum (downwards), 

 the turpentine, melted by fire, mixing with the 

 sap and juices of the Pine, while the wood itself, 

 becoming charred, is converted into charcoal." 

 Dr. Clarke, after stating that tar was made by the 

 Greeks more than two thousand years ago, re- 

 marks that there is not the smallest difference 

 between a tar-work in the forests of Westro- 

 Bothnia and those of Ancient Greece. The Greeks 

 made stacks of Pine, and, having covered them 

 with turf, suffered them to burn in the same 

 smothered manner; while the tar, melting, fell to 

 the bottom of the stack, and ran out by a small 

 channel cut for the purpose." 



The country people of Scotland obtain tar by a 

 method sim.ilar in principle to that above de- 

 scribed, although differing slightly in the details. 

 They hew the wood into billets, put these into a 

 pit dug in the earth, and ignite them : the top is 

 covered with rude tiles ; and the tar, as it leaves 

 the wood, flows out through a small orifice at the 

 bottom of the pit. When pitch is to be made, 

 the tar is put into large copper vessels, and is then 

 suffered to boil for some time, the volatile part 

 flies off, and what remains, when cold, hardens 

 and becomes pitch. 



In seasons of scarcity, the bark of the Pine is 

 converted by the Swedish peasants into bread. 



In the character of the Sw^edish peasant many 

 traits present themselves well worthy of imita- 

 tion in the other ranks of society. Placed in a 

 part of the world where the influence of winter 

 is felt for more than half the year, and where the 

 general barrenness of the soil must necessarily 

 subject him to great privations, he is, notwith- 



