Somewhat similar products are said to be afforded by Vatica [Valeria, Retinodendron, Seidlia] lancecefolia of E. Bengal, Silhet, Khasia, Assam, and Bhotan, and by V. Roxburghiana S. Canara, Travancore, and Ceylon.
Other copals are described under Copal and Animi (pp. 1610-1), Dammar (pp. 1644-5), Jutaby seca (p. 1666), and Kauri (pp. 1666-7).
Pitches (Fa., Poix ; GER., Pech).—The term " pitch " embraces two products, " common or " black," and " white" or " Burgundy." Mineral pitch, bitumen, or asphalt, has been described under the last uarue (see pp. :i41-6).
1. Common or Black Pitch (FR., Poix noire ; GER., Schiffspech, Schusterpech, Schwarzcs Pech).—This article is produced by a further distillation of the tar obtained in the dry distillation of pine-wood (see p. 1683), and from the residues left in the boiler after the distillation of the crude turp( ntine to separate the resit) and spirit. The latter are heated in the open air, and filtered through straw mats, to afford a little more turpentine. These mats, charged with impurities and containing still a certain quantity of turpentine, were placed, according to the old plan, in a brick furnace (Fig. 1180); fire is kindled at the top, and the resinons matters eseape by a pipe into the cooler b, a passage exist ing at a for the removal of the ashes. In works having the modem improvements, there only remains in the boiler (b, Fig. 1181) the residues which will not pass through the filter d, and the heavy matters settled below this orifice. These. residues are filtered through mats, as by the old system, and afford a little turpentine. The mats are then placed in the apparatus shown in Fig. 1181, consisting of a double-lined trough, with steam circulating in the inter mediate space c. The residues are placed on the metallic gauze tray a, and the box is covered to prevent evaporation of the spirit. Under the influence of the heat, the turpeutine falls into the space b. It is then distilled in the apparatus shown in Fig. 1185, affording pitch, and a little spit it. The straw mats may finally be ignited in the brick chamber shown in Fig. 1180, thus producing a small quantity of tar, but they are more generally utilized as fuel.
Pitch is chiefly manufactured in countries which afford tar (see p. 1683), but also on a smaller ecale in England. It is an opaque black sub stance, with shining eonchoidal fracture, peculiar unpleasant odour, scarcely perceptible flavour, dissolving in tho same monstrua as tar, and capable of being kneaded when softened by the beat of the hand. It is largely used in ointments, tlaough probably devoid of medicinal properties. Its approximate London market value is 5-6s. a owt. for British, and 7s. 6d. for Archangel. Our imports in 1880 were 63,430 cwt., value 16,6871. ;
our exports in the same year were 9967 cwt., 3420/. We imported 35,606 cwt. in 1876, and 81.558 in 1877. The itnports for 1880 were con tributed as follows :—Russia, 35.770 ewt , 9849/. ; British W. Indies, 15,476 cwt., 1990/. ; other coun tries, 12,184 cwt., 48481. It is obvious that the W. Indian article is not pitch at all, hut asphalt (see pp. 341-6), from the so.called Pitch Lake of Trinidad, and perhaps from Dominica as well. Our imports from RUSSlit rose from 30,124 cwt. in 1876, to 47,269 in 1877. The total exports from Archangel were 15,209 barrels in 1874, 19,168 in 1875, 17,640 in 1876, 23,988 in 1877, 16,759 in 1878 ; the proportions taken by the several countries in 1878 were 9130 barrels by Great Britain, 1630 by Holland, 490 by France, 4175 by Italy, 1319 by Germany, and 15 by Norway. Boston (U.S.), in 1880, received 1848 barrels of pitch, and exported 3199. Wilmington (N. Carolina), in 1878, exported 4724 barrels, 331 going abroad; the aggregate value was 16001. New York exported 5520 barrels in 1879. Hamburg, in 1881, imported 3492 tons, of which, 1346 came from Finland, and 2056 from Archangel. The Finnish port of Wihorg exported 207 barrels of pitch and tar, value 2900 Finnish marks (of 90.) to Norway, Germany, and England.
Burgundy Pitch (FR., Poix jaune, dc Bourgogne, des Vosges ; GER., Fieldenharz, Tanucnitarz).—This is a product of Pinus Abies [Abies excelsa], the spruce fu. of Norway (see Timber—White Dt al). It is prepared iu Finland, the Black Forest, Baden, Austria, and the Bernese Jura (where it is called poix blanche). it is obtain( d from the trees by making perpendicular incisions in the steme about 1,1 in. wide and deep ; the exuding resin is scraped off by an iron instrument, and purified. This wounding of the trees causes so much injury to the timber that the collection of the resin is prohibited in the Government forests of Baden and Wiirtentherg. The purification is effected by melting the pitch either in contact with steam, or in hot water, and straining. In the latter case, the product (called Wasserharz) is opaque and highly charged with water, and needs to be improved by further straining and evaporation of the moisture. The production is not very great. Baron Linder's estate near Helsingfors (Finland) gave 689 cwt. in 1867, and an estate at Ihn, 1575 cwt. The Swiss forests yield about 900 quintals (of 220i lb.) yearly. The pure pitch is opaque, yellowish brown, hard, brittle, strongly adhesive, with a couchoidal fracture, and agreeable aromatic odour, It is employed in plaisters in this country ; in Germany, mixed with colophony or thus, it forms the composition termed Brauerpech, used for lining beer-barrels.