VEGETABLE TAB.
719
Nicies
Pr 0 p er
as the
mix them well together, and boil till the mixture acquires aconsistence). Stimulant and rubefacient used in the same casessimple Burgundy Pitch.
IV. Fix liquida and Fix solida—Tar and Pitch.
1. Fix liquida, L. E. D.— Vegetable Tar.
Ca J Ils T°RY.—This is the TTLTTa of Theophrastus (Hist. Plant, lib. ix.f.x' u - & iii), the vlacra. typo. ( liquid pitch), or kSvos, of Dioscorides (lib. 1,and the pix liquida of Pliny (Hist. Nat. lib. xxiv. cap. 24,
U^Ebakation.—T he process now followed seems to be identical withaw. Practised by the Macedonians, as described by Theophrastus . It isdistillatio per descensum of the roots and other woody parts of(ji P 1Ile s. As now carried on in Bothnia , it is thus described by Dr.f ;u , ( Travels in Scandinavia , part 3, p. 251) :—“ The situation most
the Ul ' a ^ e to the process is in a forest near to a marsh or bog, becauserio |°° ts t ^ le from which tar is principally extracted, are alwaysin such places. A conical cavity is then made in the
"iiul
(generally in the side of a bank or sloping hill) ; and the roots oftogether with logs and billets of the same, being neatly trussed inof the same conical shape, are let into this cavity. The wholePatel] 11 COvere< l with turf, to prevent the volatile parts from being dissi-> which, by means of a heavy wooden mallet and a woodenP er > Worked separately by two men, is beaten down, and rendered asa t|( | as possible about the wood. The stack of billets is then kindled,c}, a s low combustion of the fir takes place, without flame, as in workingljq r) ° a ‘- During this combustion the tar exudes, and a cast-iron pauHie ® f*' tim bottom of the funnel, with a spout which projects throughe of the bank, ban-els are placed beneath this spout to collect theV,, as it comes away. As fast as the barrels are filled, they are> and ready for immediate exportation.”—See also Duliamel’s(j^ e des Arbres.)
0iIiI ERCE.—Tar is brought to this country in barrels, each holding>ti q^ ons : twelve barrels constitute a last. The quantities importedhnf I'oars 1830 and 1831, were as follows.—( Parliamentary Return of* n * and Exports for 1830 and for 1831)
Countries from whence imported.
Srii ...
jWed en
>Way .
.
q^aiiy
^^ a tes of America .
Total
1830.
1831.
Lasts.
Barrels.
Lasts.
Barrels.
9,675
6
7,779
6
580
8
: 1,686
1
88
7
1 22
6
307
7
i 439
9
17
6
_
_
1,521
7
1,243
2
14
8
1
0
12,206
1
10,572
0
Pti
'es er ,
— — --oviill-u^uiu VVAJJl^ll
s during a long period its softness. It is soluble in alcohol,