Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-09-13
EVERGREEN TREE
LEAF OILS AND
SOME OF USES

"aShington-Shoe-b la cking owes its
peculiar aromatic odor, family sug-
gestive of the deep woods where
spruce or hemlock needles pad the
ground. to. an oil which is manufac-
tured from these same kinds of nee
dies. Similar oils are obtained from
the foliage and small twigs of various
cone bearing trees. and find use for
number of purposes. In Europe the
finer of these oils are used extensive
~ as perfume in soap. They are
common components of liniments and
other medical preparations. Cedar oil
is chiefly used in the preparation of
insecticides. and, to some extent, in
making liniment.
Investigations of the yield and the
value of the oil obtainable from some
of our southern and western trees
have been made by the Forest Ser
vice, partly with a view to the posi-
bic utilization of waste material left
after numbering in the National For.
ests. In these Investigations, longleaf
and western yellow pine leaves pro-
duced the most promising results but
the needle oils obtained from these
pines did rot surpass the already
firmly established spruce and hemloch
oils. The large quantities of needles
and twigs on Forest Service timber
sale areas are not only sheer waste,
but also form a special fire hazard.
An increased market for leaf oil
would make possible the utilization Of
some OF this waste material.
The industry, though small, is fairly
old in the United States. The value Of
the annual production of needle oil is
about $4,000. Black and white spruce
and eastern hemlock produce very
similar oils. 10000 to $4,000 pounds
annually, worth As to 60 cents per
pound. Red cedar produces $4,000 10
10000 pounds of oil having the same
value per pound as the spruce and
hemlock oil. A few other species fur
nish the rest of the confer-ieaf oil
produced in the United States. Be
sides the home product. small quaint
ties of needle oil are imported from
Europe. One Of these, silver fir oil
brings four dollars a pound In most
cases these oils have a pleasant odor
A few are disagreeable when first dis
titled but become pleasant with age.
The greater portion of the oil pro-
duced in the United States is distilled
by small farmers in New England dur
ing the winter months when farm
work is slack. In 1912, a Seattle firm
began the distillation of leaf oil from
western red cedar on a large scale, but
found that at the going market value
of 30 cents pound the oil scarcely
repaid the cost of production. 1t was
chiefly used in manufacturing an in
secticide containing So per cent. of
cedar oil and 65 per cent of an absor-
bent made from the finely ground
shells of peach pits: Four dollars and
a half to five dollars and a half per
ton, depending on the oil content, was
paid for the leaves and twigs.
A firm at Grants Pass, Oregon, has
patents covering methods and appara-
tus for utilizing western yellow pine
needles in the production of fibre after
the oil is removed by distillation
Their plant consists of wooden tanks
with steam connections with a daily
capacity of 1000 pounds of raw ma
terial from which ten pounds of oil
are obtained and. by suitable treat
ment, the spent needles produce a long
tough fibre that can he woven into ia
brio or mixed with hair and made into
mattresses.
The distillation process is very sim
pie. Steam is passed through the
needles, usually at atmospheric pres
sure. The oil volatilizes and the
mixed vapors pass into a cooling ap-
paratus where condensation takes
place. leaving a layer of oil and
layer of water. Distillation by steam
under pressure is more rapid and pro
cuces more oil. Cutting the needles in
small pieces before treatment in
creases the oil production. Young
trees yield most. Trees growing in the
open contain more oil that those in a
dense stand. The winter and spring
months are best for oil content.
other unexpected rise the public schools
of this city will be opened positively on
Sept. 25.
In all the schools classes for teachers
were opened today to instruct them in
detection of the disease and emergency
treatment.