The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-03-31
Wilmington, N. c.-Brisht Prospects

Wilmington, N. C.-Brisht Prospects.
A paragraph in New York paper OF re-
cent date has not attracted the attention 1t
deserves. "Forty barrels OF klndlng wood
"vere shipped from Wilmington in one
"dayIn Few comprehend the Importance
OF this statement, for the simple reason per-
hsps, that the nature Of kindliDg WOOD is
not generally known.
1t appears, from what we nave oeen aoie
to ascertain by patient research, that NoFtn
Carolina is blessed with most extraordi-
nary vegetable produc.-the pine or pi''uS
su,pestris OF the botanlsls. This must not
be confourd ded with the pin> u the Europe
ans. which is in fact the pineapple. The
Carolina pine indeed bears fruit called
"purr." which is luscious II adequately
stewed, but 1t is less tender even than
Hgs or prunes, resembling rather ounces
or artichokes. The "burr" has too much core
and is deficient in pulp.
It is for ils woody fibre and other pro-
ducts that the North Carolina pine is valued.
The priceless herb attains an altitude as
great or greater, perhaps, than the tree
ferns OF geological periods, rising sometimes
to the height OF castor-oil plant. What
the bamboo is 10 Hlndostan and China, the
cocoa and the bread fruit to the aavages OF
the tropics, that and more is the pine to the
inhabitants OF North Carolina.
From the young stems are made draw
bars, turkey roosts, bee-martin poles, cor
duroy roads and pig-pens. The bark is
easily carved into ink stands and toy boats,
and is very handy to use as shovel Tor q
coal OF fire to light pipe with. The leaves
are very curious. Shaped like needles,
they are used when dry as substitute for
horse.hair,- cotton or straw In mattresses.
A pile OF these leaves heaped in a corner
answers as feather bed.
When an incisio3 Is made In the green
tree there excdes from the pine sticky
Juice, known to commerce as resin, but In
more familiar parlance styled "rozum." It
Is chewed or chawed by the natives instead
OF tobacco, and Ia much less hurtful to the
nerves than that pernicious weed. Sub
jected to distillation, this rozum yields o
fluid called turpenline or "turkentime," F"
which Is esteemed everywhere as an ad.
junct to weak whlskey, imparting to 1t q
strength and stomach-warming power be.
yond description, and justly q matter OF
pride with the producers OF the turpenline.
Another product OF the distillallon OF
the resin is dark, tenacious, viscid, clam
my, puttyish and somewhat shoemaker's-
waxy substance called "tar.' Applied to
the naked heel, this tar enabled the dwell.
era in the pine forests TO travel miles over
their sandy roads without slipping single
time. When one modicum or dab OF tar is
gradually worn away by attritlon, second,
instantly applied, encourages the traveller
to fare merriy on his way to market with
his beloved barrel. Owing to this tar pro-
lection, dislocations OF the lower limbs are
very rare In North Carolina. Hip-shot men
are never seen there.
We have notspace to dwell upon the other
products OF the pine. Every part OF 1t Is val.
uable. II to the products already enumera.
ted we add kindling wood-readily obtained
with a common hatchet or ordinary Case
kuiie, 80 straighJ is the grain OF the pine
It will be seen at glance that Wilmington
has at hand ample material for On over.
whelmlng commercial prosperity. Forty
barrels Of kindliug wood, worth say two dol
lars and q hall, Ia small business. Very
true, but it is the beginning. Once known,
the advantages OF the North Carolina kin
ding wood over kerosene or newspapers
will make It's use universal. A century
hence every fire 10 Christendom will 'proba-
bly owe It's origin to North Carolina kin
ding wood. Wilmington may reasonably
look forward to kindling wood marine
greater than the combined navies OF the
world at the present day. The child was
born last week who may see hotilla OF a
thousand kindling-wood bottoms breasting
proudly the briny mouth OF Cape Fear
River. The future OF Wilmington is bril-
liant and assured.
Condemned to the sobby and useless pal
metto, Charleston may yet take courage.
There is hope In phosphates. The ashes Of
departed saurians will save her. She need
not envy the certain prosperity OF her kin
ding wood neighbor. II she cannot wholly
suppress, let her at least restrain her un-
avoidable agitation. There is room enough
In the world for both Wilmington and
Charleston.