The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-08-10
Pine FORESTS GOING.
THE NAVAL STORES INDUSTRY
FACES A CRISIS.
Present Methods of Boxing" and
''Scraping" Responsible for Forest
Deterioration.

south-wasteful methods of boxing"
and "scraping" the trees in turpen-
timing operations and the recklessness
OF 49, yellow pine maufacturers-
have brought the country face to face
with a crisis In the naval stores in
dustry. according to reports from
operators In this section. The present
shortage In Ghe production of spirits
turpentine and rosin. with the con-
seouent high prices. has resulted In
serious consideration being given the
suggestion that substitutes for these
products must. before many years,
be placed on the market.
Highest Prices Known.
The quotations on spirits turpen-
tine and rosin have been higher this
season on a legitimate trading basis
than the trade has ever before
known. Turpentine has ranged be-
tween 6s and II cents per gallon the
past week. closing here yesterday at
IS IA. while the average price for
$3.50 per barrel. A decade ago, be-
fore the development of the yellow
pine lumber industry In the south,
turpentine was selling for one-third
this price. with a glutted market,
whereas rosin was so cheap that 1t
was allowed TO go to waste around
the stills where great beds Of II lay
for years untouched. The present
price Of turpentlne represents an in
crease OF more than 10 cents a gal
hon within the past month, while
rosin has jumped moro than 81 a
barrel In that period.
Record Prices Attributed to Scarcity.
The present record prices are at
tributed solely to scarcity Of supplies
and not to any speculative element
In the market. Last years surplus
has been entirely wiped out and the
trade is forced to depend upon the
current crop to supply the demand.
which has been steady to strong
rom the opening season.
The once unbroken belt Of long
isaf pine which extended from vir-
ginia TO Texas. has been so depleted
by the destructive method OF lumber
1g and boxing that conservative csti-
lates give tho supply OF timber now
vailabie Tor turpontlno operations rs
1guftciort 20 supply \ normal de-
-isnd- tor more than 0fteen years
NC longer are vast tracts ol virgin
zine available for turpentining be-
cause OF the great depreciation In
tho value OF the trees for lumber
purposes after being boxed. 1t Is
estimated that 75 per cent. of the vir-
sin pine forests of the south are now
held by lumber companies. who re-
Fuse any concession to the naval
stores operators. and II Is not doubt
"a that much OF the remaining 25 per
cent will eventually go to the luln-
Ger interests.
Industry Seems Doomed.
As the productive life Of a tree
under present methods OF boxing IS
about eighteen years. 1t will be seen
that the naval stores industry will
be limited 10 the present acreage un-
der cultivation or In possession *
the turpentlne interests. unless
more conservative method of trear-
ing the trees Is adopted. Several
years ago the forestry bureau uf
ihe government made an effort to
induce the naval stores operators TO
ADOPT n system OF tapping the trees
much after the style OF that pra =
diced by the maple sugar operl'Dr
but the same old primitive. harmful
method OF cutting three to four deep
boxes near the base of the tree and
then "scrapping" the surface from
year 20 year until almost a third ot
the pines body was a mass Of ccagu-
lated sap. has continued. This makes
the main body OF the tree "fat." or
pitch pine" which Is not available
for the manufacture of the best
grades OF lumber.
Conservative Methods Urged.
II has been suggested that the In
PRODUCTION OF more conservative
methods OF boxing may result. IN
much of the preset acreage OF pines
H,ld hy lumber companies neiug
made pvailable for the nayl stores
raie for several years working he
ore The trees arc cut into lumber.
Vt the meeting TO be held I'm Atlanta,
october Z. for the purpose of organ
sing the Southern Conservation as
ISOLATION. the question OF n change
m the method Of working trees for