St. Landry democrat., 1892-04-30
BIRCH OIL.
How 1t Is Manufactured 4 Connec.
ticut industry.

One of the very few ways that the
farmers of Connecticut have of getting
Il living is by cutting the birch brush
from their pastures and selling it at the
rate of $ ton for the manufacture of
birch oil
Birch oil is manufactured largely in
Connecticut. There are eight mills in
the State for that purpose, and all Of
these are located in the Connecticut
River Valley.
Six years ago all the birch oil that was
Piacod upon the market was made in
pennsylvania by Il company of Germans
who owned Il mill about twenty miles
from Philadelphia, and the s;1e of the
OIL was controlled by firm of druggists
in Philadelphia.
The first birch mill built in Connecti-
cut was erected in lSS3, at ,Johnstown,
by Thomas Dickerson, Baptist
preacher, who was as shrewd in business
matters as he was eloquent in the pulpit.
Mr. Dickorson decided to turn the forests
of birch, that cover the hills of Connecti-
cut, into account, and he sent his son to
Pennsylvania as a book agent, aud in
structed him to get employment in the
birch mill if possible, and when he had
acquired a knowledge OF its practical
working to return. The son was absent
two years, during which time he had ac-
complished his purpose. Upon his re-
turn the mill was built at Johnotown,
and il was not very long before in en-
ploye of Dickerson a Son started an OPP
position mill. The manufacture of the
oil was very profitable, and within two
years there were eight establishments
engaged in the business.
At that time the oil readily brought
$3.50 pound and each ton of brush
yields four pounds Of oil. For each ton
of brush laid down at the door of the mill
s. are paid
The average birch mill is equipped
with u 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 huif 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 a pipe that enters the tank near
the top, to q coil set in IL barrel of cold
water. BY this means the steam is con-
denscd and the oil drops from the bot
tom of the coil into glass jar. Before
steam is turned on, the lid covering each
tank is cleaned and made cir tight with a
paste made of graham flour and water
DOuro1 around the edo oS
The secret of clarifying the oil by
chemical processes is carefully guarded
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 contents is
spread blanket OF white wool satur-
ated 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 con-
tain. When crude, birch oil is dark red
in color When clarified it is very
light green. 1t is very heavy. Thirteen
fluid ounces weigh a pound and it sinks
in water like lead
During the last two years the price of
the oil has decreased. The manutac-
turer now gets but one dollar and half
pound This shrinkage in value is due
to the placing upon the market of an
adulterutod article known as synthetic
oil, that is largely used for the purposes
for which birch oil was formerly en-
ployed.
Birch oil is used in the manufacture OF
confections and essences and tlavors,
where it is known as the essence or the
extract of wintcrgrcen. 1t has strong
wintergreen flavor. y great deal OF the
oil is sold to tanners. who use it to give
Il peculiar odor to Il kind of leather that
they make in imitation of an expensive
Russia leather.
The oil can be manufactured onl y dur
Ing the winter when the brush is free
from foliage and then only the black
birch, which is well 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,
manufacturers are obliged to ship the
oil in glass bottles and jars. - Detroit
Free Press.