CHAP. CXIU.

CONl'pEKiE. Pl'NUS.

2221

tween that city and Bayonne, which are there called pignadas, constitutethe principal riches of the inhabitants, who are almost entirely supported bythe preparation of resin and tar from the pinaster forests.

Properties and Uses. Though the wood of the pinaster is soft, and not oflong duration, it is employed, in the marine arsenal at Toulon, for the outercases of all the packages which are put on board vessels, and principally forthe piles and props which are used for sustaining the frames of vessels whilethey are being constructed. In Bordeaux and in Provence, it is employedfor the common kinds of carpentry, for packing-boxes, and for fuel; butthe most valuable purposes to which the tree is applied in these countries isthe production of resin, tar, and lampblack.

Mode of procuring the resinous Products of the Pinaster. These are obtainedchiefly in the province of Guienne, from the trees which grow on the immensetract of sandy soil extending along the sea coast from Bayonne to Medoc inone direction, and from the sea to the borders of the river Garonne in theother. When the trees have attained the age of from 25 to 30 years, withtrunks about 4 ft. in circumference, they are thought to have acquired suffi-cient strength to bear the extraction of their sap. The resinier (which is thename given to the person who collects the resin) usually tests the tree, byputting his arm round it, and if the trunk is so thick that he cannot see hisfingers on the other side, he considers the tree of sufficient size for him to com-mence his operations. This he does by lirst stripping off'a piece of the outerbark from a space of about 4 in. or 6 in. wide, and front 12 in. to 18 in. long.A hollow is then cut in the lower part of the trunk, with a hatchet slightlycurved like a bill-hook, in such a manner as to retain the fluid resin to theextent of about half a pint; or a small trough is attached to the bottom of thechannel formed by the removal of the bark. From this reservoir, in a directionupwards, and over the space from which the outer bark was removed, the woodis laid bare to the length of 6 in., and to the width of 4 in., and the resinoozes out from between the bark and the wood, and runs into the reser-voir, from which it is taken with wooden or iron ladles, or is conducted by thetrough to a vessel proper to receive it. Every week, the person employed toperform the operation has occasion to reopen the wound, and slightly in-crease its height and breadth, without, however, ever exceeding 18 in. inlength in the course of the season. These successive cuts are requisite,because the resinous matter flows more freely from new wounds thanold ones; but, as the slightest touch is found sufficient, the operator shouldbe careful not to injure the tree more than is necessary. This work re-quires activity, as one man is generally expected to be able to managefrom 1500 to 2000 trees ; and the operation is continued on the same treeby annually removing a portion of the bark, till the part laid bare isfrom 12 ft. to 15 ft. in height; which takes place, commonly, in 7 or 8years. At that time, a fresh channel is commenced, so close to the pre-ceding cut, as to leave only an inch or two of bark between them, andit is conducted gradually to the same height as the other. After this,other channels are successively cut, till the operator has completely en-circled the tree; by which time, the first wounds are so well healed asto be ready to be cut again, if the operator has done his work properly.When the trees are to be thinned, those destined to be removed are cut intonumerous channels all round the tree at once, and three times the height ofthose usually made, and this is continued for two or three years together ;after which the trees are cut down and burned, to extract their tar. Thisoperation is called taitlcr a pm perdu. When the wound is above the heightof a man, the operator makes use of a pole cut with slanting notches to re-ceive his feet; by the aid of which he climbs up the tree with great dexterity.When arrived at the necessary height, he twists his left leg round the poleand the tree, thus holding them firmly together, and then resting his rightfoot in one of the notch.es, he uses both his hands to cut the tree, as before