The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1848-04-05
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE TURPENTINE BUSINESS.

THE TURPENTINE BUSINESS.
We have gathered from respectable sour
ces some information in relation TO the Tur
penline business, which we publish below
in The expectation that it may be acceptable
to some Of our readers who either have en-
barkcd in it, or propose to do so. The con-
sumption of the article is increasing vast by
much beyond the general calculation and
one principal source of this increase is in
The use of the dislilic spirits of turpentine,
known under the name of Camphine.-
There are some omissions in our article,
which will be supplied as soon as we
receive the requisite lntorlnat ion. The
statements furnished may. as far as they 90,
be assumed to be generally correct.
Selection of Tress. A medium sized tree
with large top furnishes the turpent'ne best.
In Nnrth Carolina. however, trees of only
eight or nine inches in diameter arc often Sc
eclcd.
Cutting Of the Boxes. This should be
done before the sap begins to ascend rapidly
say in the month of December, January
and February. The first turpenlne that flows
is called virgin turpcntine. and in order to
preserve ,he pure white color which is nat
ural to it. it is best to cut the boxes not less
than niie or ten inches above the ground,
the object being to secure it from the dirt
which might be carried in during ram storms.
The tree should be scarfied about once
week (or often enough I" keep the iurpen-
tine rInnng) with round shave. A scarf
fication of something like halfinch IN width,
chcvron.kc. is enough. These successive
scarifcaIions may he thus carried on lmmc-
dacIv above the boxes, during some seven
wears without ascending higher on the tree
than twenty feet. Each ncision of box will
measure about twelve inches around the
tree, and III large trees two or three Inclsons
NAV bc at the same time.
The Gathering. The first gathering will
be all what is termed 'dripplngs' (or virgin
lurpcnine,) with scraplngs. Rosn made
from tho virgin tuipenlIne is transparent. and
is worth in New York, 50 so per barrel.
On the second gathering, a small portion OF
scrapine is generally removed and showed
down iHto the box. when it Is taken with the
dipping. AT the time OF The second gather
ltlo, Uic lIcc - "'''ch ~ P.''
twelve inches above The box. h!'er 'hs
SECOND dipping there are scrap'ngs l"r these
1--WE We inches, and so on tnr each successive
PARTON exposed. These scrap'nss are' ny
some. mixed with the dIpPIngs. III whch case
II Is called mixed ,urpeni''le' WINE ny "''',
crS. they are 'e'' III INC CIV" ., '''' !'"' "'',
gathered s'Fnraie'y, "''c'' ''eE "'r "o'.''
about ha'' price. mere "'c SN "'Pp.s
III year. cach one !'c'''''s "o''' p''' VI
'!rlch'''ic. , D..uo,:o
In" proper fr"s'r'a'''" ana l''S'"'"'"ni ''i
twenty years a4'' '!'''G :; was ''''o sl':'"' ,t
lnrpcn''ne d's''l'Gn III Europe ''a'' III M ."o
N'f'ca ota'eS. &c" Hc''s az ."l'S w.
more llS''''cu III "''e'" '''''' III NV ''W"" ~ ,La
crn o'aleS. rive years 'I' "caiH d" W.
d'Si'lIat'"n was transferred 'F''' inc 'ow' ~
The country, c"nvenlcn' 10 INC place "''c'c
the crude ar''cie Is c"l'rc'tu. my ,"' ',
may thus MAKE ''''n@a''' oa'lc'' ., '"e
'''rp"n'nr, "h'h IL; ",'' sa'''I' CO =, Is'""i''
MT more 'I'a' one hl''"'G "'," ''''! Val 'e''
"A,"' are taken I" 'he "'s'''ey, yI,, s",''.I
aHl returned 10 o' " '''i a""''' '''' "'''''
'"''. '''' sF';a' "''' "'''c' ''; ''''''"' IT, I