THE NAVAL STORE INDUSTRY IN NORTH CAROLINA. 



83 



but returns as to this point were frequently imperfect. There were, 

 however, about 4,800 barrels of W. W. and W. G. rosin (the two 

 highest and lightest colored grades)"^ shipped by rail from the 

 western counties of the pine belt, and about 4,000 barrels of the 

 same grades were shipped to Wilmington, from the more eastern 

 counties of the pine belt. There were about 20,000 barrels of other 

 grades of light rosin (above N.) made in the western counties, 

 and shipped b}^ rail, and about 25,000 barrels of these grades made 

 in the more eastern counties and shipped via Wilmington. It 

 seems that, while Wilmington handled nearly two-thirds of the rosin 

 manufactured in North Carolina it only received about one-half of 

 the finer grades of rosin. Practically all of the finer grades of 

 rosin which were received at AVilmington, during the year 1893, were 

 sent to Europe. 



EXPORTS OF TAR AND PITCH FROM NORTH CAROLINA. 



Exports of tar and pitch froni North Carolina have varied during 

 the past twenty years much less than have those of rosin and turpen- 

 tine. The exports, both foreign and domestic, of these, commodi- 



*Grades of Rosin.— The commonly recognized grades of rosin in the United States areas fol- 

 lows: "W. W." — water white ; "W.G." — window-glass; "N." — extra pale; "M." — pale; "K." — 

 low pale; "I."— good No. i: "H."— No. i; "F."— good No. 2; "E."— No. 2; "D."— good strain; 

 "C." — strain; "B." — common strain ; "A." — black. 



"Water white" and "window-glass," which are the lightest colored and highest priced rosins, 

 are made only from the "virgin dip," and usually only from that gathered during the first parts 

 of the season. The virgin dip is the turpentine taken from the boxes the year or season that the3' 

 are cut. The last dipping of the first season (the boxes are dipped from six to eight times during 

 a season) give a yellowish turpentine which makes rosin of about the grade "N." The second 

 and succeeding years " yellow dip " is obtained, the turpentine having acquired a decided yellow 

 tinge of color from running down over the face of the tree which was hacked during the preceding 

 summer when it comes in contact with the old and dark-colored resin on its surface, and is subject 

 to the evaporation of the volatile oils in it by being longer exposed to the heat of the sun. 



The second year's yellow dip makes usually rosin of the grade " N." during the first part of the 

 season, while only darker grades "I/." and "M." are gotten during the latter part of the season. 

 Each year that the boxes are worked the dip becomes more colored, yields a darker rosin, and has 

 less spirits of turpentine in it on account of having to run down a larger surface, covered with 

 colored resin, and be exposed for a longer time to the oxidizing influences of the sun and air. 

 The "scrape," which is the hardened resin adhering to the scarified face of the tree, yields the 

 darker grades of rosin. The common grades are made from old .scrape on trees which have been 

 worked several years, and frequently has mixed with it sticks and chips, cut from the tree while 

 the hardened scrape was being removed. The turpentine produced from the lighter colored dip- 

 pings is of a better qu'ality than that from the darker, being purer and lighter and having less 

 rosin oil in it. 



A large part of the dark grades of rosin ("strain" and "common") which are exported to 

 Europe are used in manufacturing rosin oil. The finer grades are used in the manufacture of 

 soaps, paper sizing, etc. 



