Excerpt from Wood Turpentine: Its Production, Refining, Properties and Uses Wood turpentine, "stump turpentine," or "wood spirits of turpentine," as the product is variously known, is turpentine oil made from cut pine, fir, or spruce, by distilling the wood in closed retorts. When properly refined it closely resembles gum spirits of turpentine, obtained by distilling the gum which oozes from the cut surface of the living tree. The turpentine made by distilling the wood with steam below a temperature of 150 C. more closely resembles gum spirits than that obtained by destructively distilling the wood. The latter is always contaminated with other oils derived from the breaking down of the wood and the resins which it contains. In some cases where the context shows plainly that wood turpentine is meant the term "turpentine" is used to avoid repetition; it should be noted, however, that commercially wood turpentine should always be designated as such and not as "turpentine." Wood turpentine is used, chiefly as a varnish and paint thinner as a substitute for, or in the place of, gum turpentine. Its production and use has increased slowly, partly because of its objectionable odor, its physiological effect, its lack of uniformity, and unsatisfactory working qualities due thereto, and partly because of the lack of knowledge regarding its ultimate effect on the color and durability of varnishes and paints. The recovery of turpentine by distillation from the wood was attempted years ago, and the first patents relating to this subject were granted as early as 1841. The process was not developed, however, and it is only within recent years that any material success has attended its use. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.