The Somerset reporter., 1895-01-31
MAKING TURPENTINE
AN EXTENSIVE INDUSTRY IN CERTAIN
SOUTHERN STATES.

How the Trees Are Tapped and the Res
inous Gum Gathered Departments and
Divisions In the Work All Under the
Keen Eye of the "Rider."
Dialect writers find fruitful field
among the Tar Heels" of the Carolinas,
Alabama and Georgia In tho cool
depths of the turpentino woods, with the
gashed trees yielding up their resinous
gum, the balmy air sd the picturesque
hackers, " Clippers and ''scrapers, "
with the ever yigilaut rider" watch
ing everythine is phase in southern
lie which has long been the delight Of
authors aud the pleasure Of artists. The
erudity OF the implements and the stills
used in making turpentine and rosiL
lend additional interest to this old in
dustry, and the gypsylike habits of the
tnrpentinc makers add to Their ragged,
iliterate charms
Turpentine is the distilled gum of the
pine trees Of North and South Carolina,
Alabama, Georgia and part Of Florida
The season begins when the first spring
sap rises and ends when Geld weather
checks the flow Of the trees blood In
January or February the "hacker,
with his keen bladed AK, begins the
round which ends with the season. He
Is the expert Of the woods and knows his
trees and Just how much hacking they
will stand. His task is To cut the
boxes" in which the thick gum of the
wounded tree will collect a box is .
wide incision about six inches deep,
wedge shaped cut in the tree, and he
hacks from 80 to 100 boxes "A day. The
first boxes are cut near the roots of the
tree and they are cut as close together
10 the hceht of a mans head as can be
done without killing the pine. The
hacker leaves width of bark between
each box so as to preserve the vitality OF
tho tree. When the trees are leased tc
the turpentino makers, the terms of the
lease limit the number of boxes to each
tree but when it is desired TO work the
pine to the fullest extent the gashos are
carried up to a height of 20 feet or more.
After the hacker comes the man who
CORNERS" the boxes. This corner" il
a cut III the top of the box to guide the
sap into the cavities left for the gum,
and the man who works the crop
goes Systematically from box to box,
starting the sap anew with fresh Incl
sions, working in this way 10, 600 boxes
during the season. The sap or gum fills
tho boxes with clear, sticky, thick
fluid, and this is removed by the dip
per. Scattered through the woods are
barrels in which the Clipper deposits
the gum, which is then hauled to the
still. About quart of sap is taken from
each box by means of the trowel shaped
scoop used by the dippor, and then the
hacker comes along and starts tho How
afresh by wounding the tree again. The
turpentine maker watches his men close
ly, for the Tar Heels are an easy going
people and require to be urged by the
rider, who goes through the woods ON
horseback examining the crop, hurrying
the dippcrs and hackers and sending the
barrcled gum to the still.
The first or virgin sap which flows
in the spring makes the best rosin, and
the poorest is the product of the harden
ed gum which is left on the sides of the
boxes when the sap turns down. i'll
the fall. This is removed by the
"scrapor, who moves through the
woods with his scraping tool, gathering
tho lcayings
The still is large copper var hooded
with u close fitting cover III which Is Il
funnel which IN turn is connected with
the -, M Of the still This worm
runs down into another vat near at
hand, and IN tnis vat the fumes or vap4
of the heated gum is distilled int tur
pentine. Fire under the copper vat heats
tho gum, and the volatile parts rise 20
the funnel pass into the still and ara
condensed by the water III the second
vat into spirits of turpentine. Therosid-
uum left in the vat is the rosn of
commerce, which is passed through
series of Stralners and sleyes to the bar ,
rels, which are made on the spot. Tho
turpentinc however cannot be barreled
SO easily, for it will work thro~gh an
ordinary barrel 1t is placed IN white
pine barrels which have been coated IN
side with several coats of strong, hot
Glue until the barrel is impervious To
the Subtle fluid
The trees arc worked for five or SIX
seasons, and then the turpentine maker
moves to another part of the woods. He
started III North Carolina, crossed over
to South Carolina and is still moving
toward the gulf Forest fires destroy the
pines faster than the hacker does, for
the flames sweep over large areas before
they die out Careful owners of turpen-
tine woods have tho pine straw and
fallen uuderbrush raked away from their
trees before the season begins, and col
Letting this material in some safe spot
wait for a quiet day when no wind will
cool the wet finger. and then they bum
the rakings
Negroes are common laborers of the
turpentine woods but white men are
plentiful They live in rough shantics
in the woods, with the stables for the
mules and horses near at hand No
work is more healthful than turpentine
making, for it is all out of doors in the
depths of the balmy, health giving pines
free from the malaria of the swamps
and from sudden changes of weather. -
Chicago Record
Horsepower.
The difference between nominal, in.
dictated and effective horsepower often
nuzZles peODip Nominal horsoDower is