Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-10-22
THE BIRCH TREE.
Add tho various Useful Substances That
Are I,rriyeu from ~.

ADD ths yarious Useful Substances That
Are Derived from g.,
A casual glance AT the surround,
ings Of amy timber country. notably
along The creeks and raviucS. reveals
the fact that at least some birch twigs
have wlthS,ool the onslaught of coun-
try peGagogue>. who from time re-
mote have been identified with the lie.
gend oi birch oil and elbow grease
as au acceleNator othe sluggish school
boy rs he stumbles along over the OBJ
staclgs on the side Of Science hill.
MANY twigs remain, aud outside their
legendary historic 81 ne suggested in
-he foregoing, the tyigs and bark Of
the commOA birch Betula alba) have
already an intrinsic value not second
TO many of the moS valuable plants.
Even the leaves and young shoots
secrete a rpsinous substance, having
an acid reaction, which, under the
long legged names Of the pharmacist
is sold as a medical preparation for as
high us $40 per fluid ounce. The in.
ner bark secretes a bitteriSh alkaloid
not unlike clnchona in its nature, and
is used largely as an adulteraut for
quiniue in many parts Of Europe.
The so called ''Cinchona Mixture
has been found by analysis to consist
in many instances, of the alkaloid
found in the inner bark Of the humble
birch tree.
The outer bark, subjected TO dry
d~istillation, yields a peculiar empy.
reumatic oil having the peculiar odor
OF Russia leather, and the secret OF
preparing skins. and that, too, of the
very poorest quality of skins, being
taken from cattle that have persisted
on those barren, desolate plains, is the
only obstacle, thus far, To prevent
American artisans competing with
Russia and Austria in leather goods.
Ii is not necessary, however, to go
into chemical technicalities and dc.
tails 10 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 it is
stated that the oil Of winter green
Oleum gaultheriaJ, SO useful, fragrant
and expensive, is nearly always adul-
terated with birch oil; much of it is
birch oil pure and simple. but is sold
rs wintergreen oil, and is wintergreen
oil 10 all lntentsa and 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
tcbsupplied with a coil and steam con.
necuon. OF course We are not expect
ed TO go into all the details of manu-.
facture. Only brief outlines can be
given.
The birch limbs. twigs, bark and
even .he leaves, il a mere commercial
oil Is TO be- made, are gathered and
placed IN this large tub containing the
coil for steam heating, and as fast as
the mass accumulaJes 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
slble. Alter 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 precipilated, causes the mass to
u "a very sticky consistency
Steam may now be turned on. and the
mass brought To a boil for a moment
or two. With a wooden connection,
with a small barrel or keg, the tank is
made tight anJ brought TO boil the
steam, having previously dissolved the
oils, etc, will now evaporize them and
will condense IN the last named kcg.
After IA few hours the job is done, the
keg is bunged or corked up. and il
ready Tor shipment as commercial
wintergreen oil, though made from
birch refuse continually in the way
New York Lumber Trade Journal.