The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1904-06-02
Tnrnentine From Pine Stnmps.

Near Hinckley, MINI, factory wa
recently established for the extraction
OF turpentine from pine stumps
Enough is not yet known of the indus
try to make any definite statement con
cerning the proftableness Of utilizing
the pine stumps in the cut-oyer lands o.
Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan
However, the experiments TO datt
indicate that these stumps, instead o
being drawback to the land, are q
positive asset, and that turpentine car
be extracted in paying quantities. The
future OF the industry Ii briefly described
by Mr. Il. G. Church, who is largely
interested in the plant at l1inckley, and
concerning which he says:
~ was at first inclined to be skeptical
Of the proposition, but recent trip and
full investigation convinces me that the
turpentine factory is to be the greatest
possible boom TO the cut-over sections
Of the northwest The proposition
makes the old pine stump problem sim
pie, for the labor Of extracting these to
prepare the land for agricultural pur-
poses is more than paid for by the
turpentine secured from them. In other
words, the removing of the stumps is
a profitable undertaking.
"The plant now established is ii
miles east of Hinckley, and has been in
operation three months. In this sec
ton the supply OF turpentine comes
from the trees being killed by the pro-
cess. Because Of this there is percept-
ible shortage. The new process is
simply to boil the turpentine out OF the
old stunps and roots. The timber has
been cut In the winter while the sap
was IN the lower parts Of the tree and
IN the roots. The apparatus for treat
ing the stump consists OF boiler en-
cased in brick to hold in the heat. Into
this il placed an iron basket filled with
stumps and roots. This is covered tight
and the fire is started under the boiler.
"a copper pipe leads from the boiler
to the still or worm, which condenses
the turpentine. After the turpentine
the tar is collected, and finally, when
the process is complete, the charcoal Is
lifted out and becomes source vi profit
Three men can run four big boilers,
each OF which contains five cords Of
stumps. 1t requires five days to COM
plete the process.
ut will be seen that 20 cords Of wood
are worked up in five days. From this
mass 400 gallons Of turpentine, 600 gall
Ions OF tar and 600 bushels OF charcoal
are secured. The turpentine is worth
10 cents per gallon, the tar 10 to IL cents
and the charcoal 10 to IL cents per
bushel. Thus IL will be seen that about
$3.50 worth OF stuff is secured from five
days work. Besides the labor Of the
three men, the stumps would cost So
per ton, and eight TO ten cords Of wood
rubbish, costing $3.50 per ton, is re-
quired for the fuel.
'There seems to be an unlimited
demand for the products from stump
distillation, The turpentine is much
stronger than that usually obtained,
and the charcoal is OF much better
quality. About the only risk is in regu.
lating the heat. Once in q while kiln,
full is lost by being heated to the burn
ing point, This process OF securing tur-
pentine has been used in Russia, Nor
way and Sweden for number Of years,
and the only surprising thing about it
Is that Americans have not adopted it
sooner. Orange Judd Farmer.