Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-04-29
BIRCH OIL.
How 1t Is NIanufactured-A Connections
Industry.

Industry.
One of the very few ways that the
farmers of Connecticut have of get
ting living is by cutting the bir-,a
brush Sron their pastures and selling
1t at the rate of IS ton for the man
ufacture of birch Oil.
Birch oil is manufactured largely
in Connecticut. There are eight mills
in tho state for that purpose and all OF
these are located in the Connecticut
river valley.
Six years ago all the birch oil that
was placed upon the market was made
In pennsylvania by company OF Ger
mans who owned a mill about twenty
miles from Philadelphia and tho sale
OF the oil was controlled by a firm of
druggists in Philadelphia.
The first birch mill built in Con-
nectlcut was erected in 1885, at John
stown, by Thomas Dickerson. IL Bap-
list preacher who was as shrewd in
business matters az he was eloauent
in the pulpit. Mr. Dic1erson decided
to turn the forests of birch. that cover
the hills OF Connecticut into account
says the Detroit Free rress, and he
sent his son to Pennsylvania as q book
agent and instructed him to get en-
ployment in the birch mill if possible.
and when he had acquired a knowl-
edge of its practical working to return.
The son was absent two years. during
which time he had accomplished his
purpose. Upon his return the mill
was built at Johnstown, and it was
not very long before an employee of
Dickerson 4 Son started an opposition
mill. The manufacture Of the oil was
very profitable, and within two years
there were eight establishments en-
gagged in the business.
AT that time the oil readily brought
SIS. 80 Il pound and each ton of brush
yields four pounds OF Oil For each
ton of brush laid down at the door of
the mill So are paid. This price is
highly satisfactory to the hardwork-
ing, frugal New England farmer, who
often draws the brush u distance of
twelve miles with team of slow
going oxen.
The average birch mill is equipped
with set of three tanks three, four
and six feet square. These tanks
have copper bottoms. over which are
coiled steam pipes. Into these tanks
the brush is put having first been cut
into pieces from an inch and half to
five inches long A foot of water is
put in each tank and the steam
turned on. The water is allowed to
boil six hours The steam from the
boiling water escapes through q pipe
that enters the tank near tho top to
coil set in barrel OF cold water. By
this means the steam is condensed and
the oil drops from the bottom of the
coil into q glass JAR Before steam is
turned on. the lid covering each tank
is cleaned and made air light with a
paste made of graham -four and water
poured around the edges.
The secret Of clarifying the oil by
chemical processes is carefully guard
ed by the manufacturers, but it is
simple and very effective. 1t is as
follows:
When the tank is filled and ready
for boiling. over the top OF the con-
tents is spread blanket of white wool
saturated with water Through this
blanket the steam passes to the worm
and the fabric absorbs all sediment
and faint of copper or iron that the
steam may contain. When crude.
birch oil is dark red in color When
clarified it is a very light green. 1t
is very hsavy. Thirteen tuid ounces
weigh "a pound, and its inks ain
water like lead.
During the last two years tho price
OF the oil has decreased The manu-
facturer now gets but one dollar and
a half n pound. This shrinkage in
value Is due to the placing upon the
market of an adulterated article
known as synthetic oil, that is largely
used for the purposes for which birch
oil was formerly employed.
Birch oil is used in tho manufacture
Of CONNECTIONS and essences and
havors. whore it is known as the es-
sence or the extract of wintergrcen,
1t has strong wintergrecn Favor. A
great deal of the oil is sold to tan
ners who use it to give a peculiar
odor to kind of leather that thew
make in imitation Of an expensive
Russia leather
The oil can be manufactured only
during the winter when the brush is
free from foliage and then only the
black birch, which is as we'll known
by the names of mountain birch and
sugar birch. is used, there being no
oily substance in the bark of the
white or the spotted birch. That the
strength may not escape. manufac-
turers are Obliged to ship the oil in
glass bottles and jars.