Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1905-03-01
TuRpENrlNg EXPERIMENTS.

The old system Of boxing Southern
pine trees for the production Of tur-
pentine and resin has very greatly re-
duced the pine timber wealth Of the
Southern States. Three years ago the
Bureau OF Forestry determined that
something should be done to eliminate
80 destructive a method of procuring
naval stores. It's three years OF ex-
periments towards this end have de-
monstrated that new system OF tur-
pentining, which requires the use Of
earthen cups and metal cutters, not
only greatly conseryes the life Of the
timber-tapped, but also gives an in
creased yield Of resin, and therefore a
greater profit than Is possible by box
ing. The box method and the new cup
and gutter method Of turpentlning are
fully described and illustrated IN Bull
letin No. 40 Of the Bureau Of Forestry,
While the new system is not yet in
use by al turpentine operators, he APP
plication is extending as rapidly as the
necessary equipment can be secured
AT present there Is but one company
supplying the kind OF cups and gutter
iron required. IL Is hoped, since the
demand for this msterial is very great
that in the near future the supply will
be sufficiently increased to enable tur-
pentine operators TO procure the need
ed equipment.
While, In the work just completed,
the Bureau OF Forestry has performed
an important service to the turpeutinc
industry, 10 feels that still more con-
sentative method OF turpentining can
be found which, consistent with
maximum yield Of turpentine, will in
llict the smallest possible injury upon
the trees With this in view, the bu.
reau has begun an entirely new line OF
field experiments, in order to deter
mine to what extent the wound now
made 10 tapping the trees can be less
ened.
Through the publlc.spirited and cor
dial cooperation Of the Hillmau-
sutherland Land Company Of Jack
sonyille, Fla, a stand OF about 10000
pine trees Ia Clay county, Florida,
with other facilities, have, without
cost % the government, been placed
at the disposal Of the bareau Tor ex-
perimental purposes,
The principal experiments now set
on foot comprise the practical working
Of a number OF different tnrpentno
crops one set OF trees will be used
20 determine The best width OF face to
be cut on trees OF different diameters.
Another ser OF trees will be used to
demonstrate the rate ia height at
which weekly clippings should pro.
coed IN order 10 stimulate a dow OF
resin, IL is believed that the weekly
chipping now FActiced cuts away 90
height 40 one time too much of the
living wood, 40 present this upward
chipping amounts to about eight inches
every year, aud &c is thought, this can
be reduced oue-hau or two.thirds.
Such a saving In face of height will
permit considerable increase ia the
number OF crop years, which should
give g much Increased total yield Of
resin. as well as reduce she demand
upon the area % pine forests There
will also be an economy Cor operators
ia NOS having % move their equipment
from one sec oi trees 20 another as Ice.
onenly o. is the case at present
SIN another set OF trees Win be le.
voted 20 6udng oat how deep toward
tho center of the tree gseA strtsk
should be ct.pped under lat preseai