Part I.] Puran Singh: Turpentine Oil and Indian Rosin. 25 
lated spirit required may still not improbably be capable of 
further reduction. By this process, 100 maunds of resin yield 150 
gallons of refined oil, containing 5—6 per cent, of heavy turps, as 
compared with 136 gallons of turpentine of the Z quality (as 
obtained by water distillation, eliminating about 7 per cent, of the 
total crude oil by redistillation), which contains about 15—20 per 
cent, of heavy turps. But in order to eliminate 5 per cent, of 
heavy turps from the former, the still must be “cut” when 143 
gallons of oil have distilled over from 100 maunds of resin. In 
the methylated spirit process, there is an increase of 7 gallons of 
good oil, the value of which covers the additional cost of spirit 
used. Thus without incurring any additional expenditure, the 
quality of the oil is greatly improved and if the distillation is 
carefully carried out, and the still “ cut ” at the right moment, the 
oil is practically equal to the American imported oil in its indus¬ 
trial applications. 
An objection to the smell of the Indian turpentine oil has at 
times been urged. This smell is due to the source of the resin 
being the Pinus Iongifolia. Experiments at Allahabad showed, 
however, that the smell of the oil could be to a great extent 
eliminated by washing it either with a 2 per cent, carbonate of soda 
solution or with lime water, so much so that according to Mr. 
Smythies’ verbal communication to the writer, the representative of 
Messrs. Turner, Morrison & Co., of Calcutta, who saw the oil 
being prepared and washed at Allahabad, at once recognised the 
improvement effected in the odour of the oil. 
The process as applied at Bhowali was as follows : — 
To a charge of 4 maunds of resin in the still, 3 gallons of 70 
per cent, alcohol was added and the distillation carried on over a 
gentle fire. The distillation w~as completed in about 3^ hours. 
The distillate consisted of two layers, the upper one being turpen¬ 
tine and the lower one spirit. The lower distillate containing the 
spirit was every now and again run out and added to the still till 
the distillation was complete. The temperature of the crude resin 
at the bottom of the still, as recorded by the thermometer fitted up 
inside the still, was below 100° C. for most of the time. Towards 
the end of operation it rose to 110°—120° C. Thus the spirit 
distillate is used again and again, its strength being maintained 
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