the tank below. The upper strainer is of coarse wire, in which are caught the pieces of bark and other foreign substances that have escaped the wire skimmers when in the boiler; strainer No. 2 is of finer wire; No. 3 coarse, but covered with cotton-batting. "When this mass of liquid has passed entirely through, the strainers are removed, and the still intensely hot resin is taken up by great dipperfuls and poured into barrels standing near. It must now be undisturbed until hard, as even putting a stick down into it injures the quality of the resin. The poorest crude, if taken off the furnace just at the right moment, gives W. W.; but if scorched the color is injured, and consequently the grade lowered.
The children around the still brought boxes containing flowers and brightly colored pictures, lying flat upon their bottoms, and the stiller poured a small quantity of the liquid resin upon them; this, continuing transparent, glazed them over and preserved the treasures. I still have a sprig of small leaves which he dipped for me that is coated over quite prettily. There are two or three discharges from the boiler each day.
All foreign matter taken from the crude, also the cotton-batting used in straining—in other words, the "dross"—although valuable as material for kindling, is frequently burned, as there is very little of it sent to market. I remember the dense smoke that caused the gentleman from the farm to hurry over to the still one afternoon, fearing that everything was being consumed, when it was only a bonfire of this most combustible material. In case of danger from fire to the still-house, the first step is to seal down the cap as rapidly as possible with mortar always kept mixed in a tub near by.
The resin is put in pine barrels; but oak barrels, made very tight, their seams being glued on the inside, are used for the turpentine. The uses of resin in the manufacture of soap, varnish, shellac, etc., and in various other ways, are numberless. The products of the turpentine-farms of this region are sent by steamer down the Altamaha to Doctortown, thence by rail to Savannah and Brunswick. Savannah is said to be the largest market for these commodities in the world.
