Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-10-30
A Turpentine Farm.

HARVESTING THE FAMOUS PRODUCT OF THE
GEORGIA PINES-LiGHTWOOD FORESTS.
From the Attain a Constitution.
During recent trip through southern Georgia
Was most particularly struck with the varied
and general utility OF the yellow pine tree Be-
sides, it is very peculiar tree in many respects
Ii you cut girdle one inch deep continuously
all around the tree it will die The circulation
OF sap seems to be between the wood and bark
entirely, and the f1eshy membrane, which is
the medium OF circulation, is tough and le;,th-
cry, separating readily from sap bark. Let
this be severed and the largest pine is killed
This sap contains great deal OF saccharlne
matter and sours readily, so that fermentation
during Summer is transmitted from tree 10 tree
tue death oi one frequently causing the death
| oil quite an area around it.
"Hghtwood' or "pitch'' pine is about as
| solid aiter death as before. First the straw
turns yellow and drops OH, then the bark is
gradually cast aside, and finally all that softer
shell OF recent growth, which is called the sap
portion oil the tree, and there is left a tree OF
resinous pine, with its roots ELI bedded in the
soil, and The storms OF many centuries may beat
| in vain about its gaunl, skeleton-lIke form
These lightwood trees are OF vast To the in
habltants. They make an underpinniug Tor
buildings as solid AS brick. There is nothing in
the world superior as post material. and Tor any
framework that is constantly exposed to the
weather tbs resinous pine is USED. 1t is inper-
Vious to water and never rots. Then they ma Ike
tar and charcoal of this ishtwood, besides its
universal use rs fuel.
n turpenti ne farm must be seen to be appre-
ciated. When iarIn is first pitched the boxes
are cut one to three III Il pine, according to size
The trees are counted into crops OF SO many
thousand, and this is called virgin crop The
queer little gauge called buck is then brOug II [
to bear and a streak is cut above the box, which
Is simply deep oval notch, pointing down
ward SO as to lead the gum which eXudes into
the box below. These boxes are made to hold
about Il quart. This first run is clear rs oil
and is the finest OF all. After being dipped out
with paddle it is distilled, and the hard resin
lett is sometimes us white and clear as glass
1t very beautiful, and brings u good price in
the great naval stores markets. Second years
gum is not good in quality, but fully so in
quantity. Third years boxes, when the monthly
hackings have made the scar high up are still
poorer and from then on the crops hardly pay
Tor working.
just abou: the toughest beings that ever
cursed u country are some OF these turpentiue
negroes. They are paid by the box, 81 to 81. so
per 100 tor the box cutting, and furnished so
much ratiOns. The old rule was a peck OF meal
seven pounds OF bacon, and quart OF syrup
Other provisions the darby must pay for him.
self. They are given shanties to live in an d
there. amid filth and vermin, they sleep and
eat. sometimes they will get together Fights
and sing and preach and pray until after mid
night, and then, at the call OF the wood sman
they are up and going by early dawn. Satur-
day evenings at the station they congregate,
and where whisky is Obtainable there are
scenes of the widest sort That is what causes
SO many OF those wlre-grass counties 10 go dry.
Liquor demoraiiZed the laborers to such an
extent that II was ruiuOuS. There is not so
much money in turpentine there was five
years ago. but men still manage to farm IL.