Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-07-20
SWEET-BIRCH OIL,

An application to buy all of the barl
OF black birch on a large watershed II
ono OF the national forests in the south
| ern Appalachians has been received u,
| OFFICERS in charge. who say that the
| bark will be used by the mountaineers
| to make sweet-birch oil. a substitute fol-
| oil Of wintergreen. Because Of the
| high price OF birch oil and oil of winter
green. synthetic oil is widely used In
their stead. The rise in price of salicylic
acid, which is the case of the synthetic
oil. is reported to have increas-
ed the demand for the birch oil manu-
| featured in this country. The oil is
largely used for medicinal purposes and
for flavoring. and good demand Is
said to exist So-called rheumatism cures
In particular contain comparatively
large amounts.
Sweet-birch oil has been made in this
country for many years and is obtained
from the wood and bark Of the black
birch. The oil is a product OF steam dis
tilation plants, where. in addition to
the twigs. bark and young sprouts Of the
birch. the entire tree is sometimes used.
More picturesque, but not very effec-
tive II is said, are the methods employ
ed by the southern mountaineer A
rough camp and crude distillery are
erected near supply OF birch. Accord
ing to persons who have seen both kinds,
the still" is not unlike the type some
times employed in the same locality for
making blockade" whiskey. The camp
is anything which will protect the work.
men from the weather
The bark Ia peeled from the tree and
the rough outer portion Is scraped off.
1t is then broken into small bits and put
into the still with water enough to cook
it. fire is started and the resulting
steam is led through a pipe and finally
condensed The heavy oil gathers in a
receptacle while the water runs off
Three or four men compose the usual
crew. One of these spends all of his
time at the still. while the others
gather and prepare the bark.
About % bushels Of bark are used for
every run and it is said that this amount
yields approximately four pounds of oil.
Three or four runs a week can be made.
The method has been In Use for many
years. say the officials. and most Of the
accessible birch in the valleys has been
cut. Each year the oil makers have to
go farther back in the mountains. Very
often the stills are located in isolated
places which can be reached only on foot
and all OF the materials for the plant
and camp are carried in on the backs of
the mountaineers.
1t is asserted that manufacturers and
dealers are apt to be suspicious of the
purity OF the oil made in the mountains,
because of the ease with which it can
be adulterated. Only a chemical analy-
sis will reveal this adulteration. and
kerosene. methyl salicylate, and other
liquids are often used by inscriptions
people. Last fall several persons In
western North Carolina were convicted
of this offense
The forests In the East purchased by
the government are reported to contain
large quantities OF birch and are expected
to become an important source OF sup
ply
The foresters say that the birch is
not very desirable tree In the south
ern mountains, IT can seldom be sold
for lumber and 1t occupies ground which
could support more valuable timber.
Consequently they are glad of an oppor-
tunity to dispose Of 1t, The officials
state that provision will be made to
utilize the tree more closely than has
been done In tho past, and to regulate
the cutting In such way as to provide
for n future supply,