Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1854-09-07
CIR fnrnirr.
The Warn 'sh Tee.

admired Tor the elegant gloss 1T I'M
parts, know whence it is obtained, or
are familiar with the mlnncr in which
it is procured and the unpleasa MT ez
posure attending the operation. 1t /.
is cultivated in plantations, aud is SO
much improved by he treatment it
receives, that cultivated tree yields
three Zines as much yarnish as a Wild
one. The Chinese call the tlee ''TsiI
Shoo;' it has some resemblance tot
the ash, with leaves shaped like those
Of a laurel, Of a light green color and
and downy feeling. Theie is scarce /
ly any thing more curious about tic 4
trees than tie common manner Of
rropagating. which is neither by seeds \
nor suckers. Early in the spring a
small branch OF twigis selected, foot 4
and a half OF 2 feet in length, and a
ring or bark cut from it all around,
about bali an inch in brcadih. The
wound is immedistel, coated up with
soft clay and ball OF the s. me clay
formed around five or six inches in
diameter. This is then covered mp
with mating to prevent it from fall
ling to pieces, and vessel Of wafer
hung overii, With a very nj put E hole
in the unjer part, sufficient to admit
the water TO drop slowly upon the
ball and keep it constantly moist
In the course OF 6 months, with this
treatment, thc wounded edge OF The
bark shoots forth into the fibre like
roots which forms the more readily
as the tree is sill supported by the
sap from tho paent stock. When
lie iwig has takca Sufficient root in
the mass Of the clay 10 support On
independent existence, it is cut from
tie tree a little below the clay, pla
ccd immediately in tie earth, aud at
once becomes a self sustaining tree.
When these trees are 7 or s years
old the y are capable Of supplying The
varnish, which is gathered in The
following manntr:--About the mid
die Of summer Inc laborers proceed
10 Che pl1a;a'ions Of varnish tree,
each furnished with a crooked knife
and a largo humber Of hollow shells,
somewhat larger than oyster Shells
With their knives they make numer-
GUS incisions in The bark Of the trees,
about two inches in length, and uD-
dereachincision they forcein the edge
Of the shell, which easily pcuctratcs
the soft bark and remains in The tree.
This operation is performed in the
evening, as the varnjsh flows only in
the night. TIE next morning. the
workmen revisit The trees aud find
each sLel either wholly or partially
filled with vanish, which they scrape
out carefully VITA their knives, depos
ling it in vessel which they carry
with them, and throw The SHELLS into
a basket at the foot Of the3tFee. In
the evening the shells ale replaced.
and tie valnish again collected 10 the
morning. This process is continued
throughout the summer, or until The
varnish ceases to flow. 1t is compu-
ted that 90 trees, Which can be at
tended by one workman, will yield a
poulul ofra,nish every night. When
the gathering is over, the yarnish is
sir,iied through tain cloth, loosely
placed over au eartbcrn vessel, and
The little impuliIy that remains is
used in physic. The natural color Of
the vanish is white, and it looks like
cream but it blackens on exposure to
tho cir.
There is a corrosive property in
the varGi>h which operates very in
iuliously to the Wo.kmcn employed
in the preparation ofit, If tlid utmost
care and Brecautioa IS not taken to
avoid its distressing effect. A kind Of
letter appears on the face, and in the
course of a few days spreads over the
whole body; The skin becomes red and
painful, The head swclls, and the whole
surface Of tie body is covered with
troublesome sores. Topreveat these
effects The wolfmenrub the body with
prepared oil, bclac they proceed to
their work; sllcvwash themselves with
. decoction Of hGsls aud bark, and
prepare themselves by a course Of
medicine. addition 10 these pre-
cautious they wrap their heads in lin
men wells whenever they are at work,
leaving only two holes for the eyes,
and also cover themselves with a
close dress Of leather, AID wear long
gloves reaching above the elbows
BY these means they are enable to
escape the disease generated by the
noxious vapors of The varnis h tree.
To PREPARE PURE LARD. Melt it
in a water BATH, then put itinto warm