Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-10-02
HI BIRCH TREE.
and she Various Useful Substances That
Are Derived from H..

anc she Various Useful Substances That
Are Derived from It.
A casual glance at the surround.
ngs Of any timber country. notably
along the creeks and ravines, reveals
the fact that at least some birch twigs
have witllstood the onslaught of coun-
try pedlgogucs, who from time re-
mote have been identified with the le.
gend of birch oil and elbow grr>lse
- au accelcrator 10 the sluggish school
boy as he stumbles along over the ob
s;uclcs ON the side of Science hill.
Many twlgs remain, and outside their
legendary historic value suggested in
tie foregoing, the twigS and bark of
the common birch (Betula ALBA have
! already an intrinsic value not second
tn many ut the most valuable plants.
Even the leaves and young shoots
scrrvie q rGsluous substance, having
an acid reaction, which, under the
long legged names of the pharmacist,
iSsold aS a medical preparation for rs
high as $40 per fund ounce. The in
ner bark sccrctcs "A bittcrish alkaloid
not unlike cmcluna in IFS nature, and
Il used largely as an adultcraut for
quinluc IN many parts OF Europe.
The 80 called "Cinchona Mixture"
has been found by analysis 10 consist,
IN many instances, OF the alkaiold
found IN the inner bark of the humble
birch tree.
The otter bark, subjected TO dry
dlstlllauon, yields "A peculiar empy.
reunatic oil having the peculiar odOr
of Russia leather, aud the secret OF
preparing skins, and that. too, of the
very poorest quality of skins. being
taken from cattle that have persisted
Oh those barren, desolate plains. is the
only obstacle, thus far, to prevent
American artisans competing with
Russia and Austria in leather goods.
Ii Is nOl necessary, however, Ia 20
mic chemical technicalities aud de.
tails to arrive at a profitable solution
of the uses of birch twigs and birch
bark, when the larger timber is being
cut away and hauled to the saw mill
or the turning lathe. When il is
stated that the oil of winter green
tOeum gaultheriaJ, so useful, fragrant
and expensive, is nearly always adul-
terated with birch oil; much of il is
birch oil pure and simple, but is sold
as wintergreen oil, and is wintergreen
oil TO all intentsand purposes, having,
when properly prepared and refined,
the same properties, viz, specific gray
ity, LIB; boiling point, 4l2 dogs,
and mixes readily with alcohol, chic
reform, etc.
The appliances necessary for the
preparation of this oil are neither in
tricate nor costly, being simply a large
tubsupplied with a coil and steam con.
ncctiOn, Of course we are not expect.
ed 10 20 into all the details of manu-.
laeture. Only brief outlines can be
given.
The birch limbs, twigs, bark and
even the leaves, II a mere commercial
OIL is tU be made, are gathered and
placed IN this large tub containing the
coil for steam heating, and rs fast as
the "A accumulates il is kept cover.
ed with water, and the tub, being sup.
piled with a tight fitting lid or man.
hole, should be opened as little as pos.
sible. After becoming nearly full,
steam is turned on, and the batch kept
about blood warm for twenty-four
hours. This will dissolve nearly all
the oil and resinous matters, which,
being precipitated, causes the mass TO
assume a very sticky consistency.
Steam may o be turned on, and the
mas brought TO a boil for a moment
or two. With a wooden connection,
with a small barrel or keg, the tank is
made tight and brought to a boil; the
steam, having previously dissolved the
oils, etc, will now cvaporize them and
will cOndensc in the last named key.
After "A few hours the Job is done, the
keg is bunged or cOrked up. and is
really Tor shipment rs commercial
wlnlcrgruCn oil, though made from
birch refuse continually in the way
New YORK Lumber Trade journal.