18 Indian Forest Records. [Yol. IV. 
new basis,* requiring the present staff to be strengthened. It is 
satisfactory to note, however, that the Forest Department both 
in United Provinces and the Punjab is doing its best to sub¬ 
stitute steam distillation for the present method of water distilla¬ 
tion, the details of which are not yet to hand. But from the experi¬ 
ments detailed above, it may be remarked here that the improve¬ 
ment of quality of Chir oil, as especially aimed at by means of 
steam distillation, will be difficult to effect unless the temperature of 
the still is somehow reduced and the crude oil further rectified by 
redistillation and by grading the crude product into different 
qualities. The results of steam distillation on the large scale, 
for wTiich it is said a plant and process has been perfected in the 
Punjab, have yet to be tested before this point can be definitely 
settled. 
CHAPTER IY. 
(i) Commercial Results that followed the Recommendations made 
in 1908. 
The suggestions at the end of Appendix A were made in 
1908, and the partial redistillation of D (or the last fraction of the 
crude turpentine oil) w r as thenceforward commenced at the Bliowali 
Distillery with a view to improve the quality of the oil to the 
standard of Z (vide infra , page 45). But the redistillation of D 
was unsatisfactory and the oil produced was with difficulty saleable. 
Mr. E. A. Smythies, Divisional Forest Officer, Naini Tal, writing 
on 11th November 1909 to the Forest Chemist, complained of this 
and forwarded three sample bottles of turpentine, one obtained from 
the North-Western Railway Shops and the other filled with the so- 
called Z quality, distilled at Bhowali, and the third containing 
oil which was redistilled under his own supervision. 
The commercial opinions received by him on the quality of Z 
were unfavourable. The Chief Store-keeper, North-Western Rail- 
* In this connection, reference may be made to the report of the British Vice- 
Consul at Hakodate, Japan, where recently it has been proposed to erect a Turpen¬ 
tine Factory. British Consul reports that the Japanese Government has decided to 
commence the manufacture of turpentine in Karafuto. Machinery for the purpose 
to the value of £15,300 has been ordered. The sources of the supply of the resin 
being almost inexhaustible, it is expected more machinery will doubtless be re¬ 
quired later. Compared with this it may be stated here that the Departmental 
Factories in India are in their experimental stage. 
[ 18 ] 
