Gilpin observer., 1909-06-03

turpentining demands especial interest
at this time, when the naval stores in
dustry has assumed such large proper
tions in the south and when improved
methods similar and probably more
advanced than the French system are
coming into such wide use.
In France, bleeding trees for turpen-
tine has been carried on for 80 years
or more, without killing the trees or
diminishing their flow of resin. Here
in the United States, even in the rich
est forests of virgin yellow pine, the
productive life of tree is only four to
six years when turpentined by the old
destructive box method, and Is to 20
years when the cup and gutter or cup
and apron systems are used, and
shallow chipping carefully followed.
The French method of turpentining,
however, requires more labor and
greater skill, and is less productive
than any of the several methods in
use in the United States.
The rapid diminution of the supply
of long-leaf timber suitable for tur-
pentining, and the immense loss that
SA
pentining in the United States, have
conservative systems.
In French practice, the pine tree is
firt bled at an age of about Is years.
Trees from four to six inches in diam
eter, breast high, are commonly found
to contain single face from three to
four inches wide. Before placing the
face, the rough outer bark is removed
as far up the trunk as it is expected
to wound the tree for that seasons
working. Beginning about the first of
March, the face proper is started by
cutting out small chip, about four
inches square and one-half inch thick,
as near the ground as possible. An in
cision is then made in the lower part
of the face by driving a chisel-like tool
into the tree at an upward angle. The
edge of this tool is in the form of an
arc of circle instead of straight
line.
A strip OF zinc is fitted edgewise
into a groove on the back of the tool,
and is then inserted in the incision by
a smart blow from a wooden mallet.
y
is placed Just beneath, on the ground.
For the succeeding years, the gutter
is raised at the beginning of the sea
son. and the cup crowded between the
gutter and nail driven in the tree
lower down. The face is Clipped
about 80 times between March and the
middle of October. At each chipping
thin chip about one-half inch deep
and from one-half to one inch high is
removed so that at the end of the
season the face has length of about
26 inches. For the next four seasons
the face is heightened by about 30
inches for each, until at the end of the
fifth the streak is approximately 12
feet from the ground. The chipping is
accomplished with an AK having pc
culiarly curved blade. The plane of
the blade is set at a slight angle to
the axis of the handle so that the op.
orator can cut chip from the tree
by downward stroke while standing
slightly to one side and in front of
the face. The edge of the blade has
the form of an arc of n circle instead
of that of the usual straight line. Con-
siderable skill is required to use the
AK effectually. AS the face reaches
position above the convenient reach of
the clipper a ladder formed of round
pole bearing triangular blocks at.
tached at intervals along one side is
placed against the tree and the chip
per climbs to the required height.
Dipping is accompanied once every
two weeks in much the same manner
as by the cup system in the United
States, the dipper carrying small
paddle with which he cleans the gut,