St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1893-02-18
"BLED" PINE.

"BLED" PINE.
We called attention some months
ago to the report Of the Forestry
Division Of the Bureau OF Agricul-
ture on turpentine or tapped tim
Der, and the tests made to deter
mine whether the yellow or pitch
pine was unfavorably affected by
the extraction Of the turpentine
from it. It was generally believed
that this seriously injured the tim
Der. weakening it, making it easily
perishable, and Of little value for
building or similar purposes. The
teste, which were carefully and
thoroughly made, caused, there
fore, agreat surprise, as they show
ed that instead Of being injured and
weakened, the pine timber from
which the turpentine was extracted
was actually stronger than when
not 20 treated. Some question
might have been raised - to its
durability. but there could be none
- to its strength.
Since then the Forestry Division
has continued its investigations,
and its frst report 10 verified, viudi-
Gated and strengthened. L. Is pre-
pairing . full and exhaustive treatise
on the subject, but In the mean
while announces In advance that
further tests and examinations s'per-
init the statement, without reserve,
that the timber Of the longleaf vel
low pine is in no way affected by
the tapping for turpentine." This
refers to its mechanical as we'll Is
its chemical properties, and elimin-
ates the reservation that it might
suffer in durability in other words
Mr.. Fernow, Chief Of the Forestry |
Division, declares that tapped pine |
Is not only - strong - when not |
tapped, but that it il - durable and |
win last - long, . point about |
which there was some doubt 1t first |
Having been convinced on this |
point by the investigations made,
Mr.. Fernow considers Il the duty |
of his division to lay these discov-
cries before The public, go ~ to get
nd Of the present prejudice against
lapped timber. and to have the
lacts made widely known among
builders, architects and engineers,
Who have hitherto made discrimina-
ions against ''bled" timber, dis
its manufacture and inn
peded its sale.
The statement relative to the tur.
,entine timber is based on . series
u experiments comprising not less
han 500 tests on thirty-two trees OF
Fellow pine, bled and unbled, from
'arious localities. The somewhat
fact that hled timber ex-
'ibits, If anything, greater strength
han that from which the turpentine
las not been extracted, is account
d for by the fact that the orchards
re located mainly on sites which
'roduce . better quality Of timber,
. well - . larger yield Of turpen-
inc. |,
The chemical experiments explain
Thy the timber is not injured by
apping, rs it is shown that the
esinous contents Of the heartwood Z
Re In no wise affected by the
leedfng, the turpentine in that Z
art OF the tree being non-6uid. All L
Ne turpentine extracted, therefore,
omes from the sapwood, and it's .
ow does not injure the timber. I
Be variation in the quantity Of q
sin extracted 10 very great, and {
ees standing side by side, and to
! appearances In similar ccndi- :
On, yield quite different amounts. q
Not satisfied with the careful
'emical and other tests made. Mr.. 3
ernow sent IN agent to visit the Q
lrpentine orchards and sawmills in q
q South, to find the local opinion b
the subject, and what had been 0
e result Of the tests made there. Il
bis agent reports that while some n
'rsons claim to be able to discover 0
difference between the bled and q
'bled timber, he was unable to e
ID anyone who could really do 90; q
at in spite Of consumer specif- d
tons for unbled timber, they Z
re almost invariably served with y
mixture without finding it out o.
d that experience In the districts u