The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-04-06
1t Is Believed New Methods Be-
ing Tested Here Will Mean
Much Longer Life of Tree
GOVERNMENT TESTS
ARE BEING NOTED
Capt. Eldredge, of Forestry Ser.
vice, Furnishes Some Inter-
esting Facts and Comparison
esting Comparisons
and Facts q


OF turpentining with view to greatly !
prolonging the life of the tree, II started
when young, are being made on the gov
ernment forestry lands near Pensacoia.
These experiments are being watched by
government forestry authorities and tim
ber and .urpentine interests generally
with "A great deal of attention
The experiments were first inaugurated
by Capt. /. F. Eldredge, who was in
charge of the local forestry office until
succeeded by L. l.. Bishop when he en-
tered the service of the army. The first
chipping was done in 1914.
Concerning the experiments and COM
PARSONS with the French methods as
studied by Capt Eldrege during the past
year or more in the forests of France,
he says:
II was very much interested in study
ing the Naval Stores industry IN France
and in comparing the French methods
with those practiced in this country.
/ The French turpentne tree, known
as the Maritime Pine. he stated, ia quite
different from our long leaf pine. both
as to it's appearance and the lumber
produced from IT. resembling our pine
however. in that 1t is a prolific producer
of Naval stores. The territory occupied
by this pine. located the southeast
coast of France, covers an area about as
large that of West Florida. between
Tallahassee and Perdido Bay. The Mari
practically all of which was planted In the
first place by artificial means about one
hundred years ago. The area first came
into prominence as n Naval stores pro-
ducer during civil war. when the
blockade of Southern ports made IL nee
Eesssry for Europeto produce Naval Stores
from the supplies of the South Atlantic
states
THE French turpentine system differs
radically from ours, according to Capt.
Eidredge. i'm many ways. and lis the de-
yelopment of many years of scientific
study on the part OF French naval stores
people and the French Forest Service.
Instead of working "A given tract OF
timber for a period OF from six to ten
years. as IL isc practiced I'm this country
he says, leach tract, or coup IL IN
called In France, is worked for from ~
to So years. The industry is on a staple
basis and yields sustained production
which is capable OF being continued in
definitely. Such a thing moving "A
still, or turpentine camp. is unknown. 4
The turpentine stills are built largely or
reinforced concrete. and the homes of the
turpentine workers are permanent affairs
of stone, brick or concrete. Standard
gauge railways and macadam roads per-
meate parts of the forest. What We would
cal turpentine camps, have become per-
manent towns. often considerable In size
and containing substantial, attractive
homes, excellent schols. large churches
and thriving mercantile establishments.
These towns are supported entirely by
the products Of the surrounding forests.
Labor conditions are entirely stabilized
and the people are prosperous and con-
tented with the certainty of continuing
So in the future. When this bright con-
di.ion is contrasted with the conditions
that prevail in turpentine work,
where without exception one finds only
crude distillation plants surrounded by
temporary camps of cheap wooden shacks
inhabited by an exceedingly transient la
boring class without schools or churches
and connected with the outside world
by transportation facilities of the most
antiquated description, the balance seems
surely to be in favor Of the French
THE French start turpentining the
given area, when the trees have reached
an age of 20 to 25 years, and they con-
tinue until the timber has reachedg saw
timber size. which is usually about the
age Of SO years. When il has reached
size for timber, the
are is cut-over usually by small portable
saw mills, and Immediately produces a
second growth. In most cases this gee
ond growth comes the year following the
cutting OF the timber and neds rD assist
ance except protection from fire. Oca-
sionally. however. owing to a poor seed
year or a drought, or perhaps fire, there
Is failure to reproduce naturally in
which case no time is lost In re-pIanting
the area artificialy. These areas (coupsy
rane from twenty TO several hundred
,cres. and are Distributed in given
forest that the turpentine still drawing
is supplies from that forest always has
several 'coupes' being cupped from which
20 get raw material for naval stores, while
othhr "coupes" Reproducing and
growing to the required size for turpen-
lining. In other words there is no break
N the supply OF gum. and for the same
-eason no let up i'm the supply OF lumber
Ind other forest products.
The French turpentine face is only
1-2 inches wide. and IL made. not with
hack. but with very different instru-
nent which resembles, somewhat, an
ldze This narrow face heals very
Iuicl<ly and makes il possible for the
to continue working his tim
'er for an indefinite period for the sim
lie reason that the faces grow over i'm
short time and do not reduce the
,rowth or the vitality OF the trees.
I'm 1914 the forest service started
t. experimental operation of turpentin-
ng in the Florida National Forest. near
;arniers Bayou. On a part of the ex-
erimenta1 area the French turpcntining
ystem was fnaugurated and its operas
ion. according - French regulations. has