Source trees Turpentine

a 1912 postcard depicting harvesting pine resin turpentine industry



herty system in use on turpentine trees in northern florida, circa 1936



chipping turpentine tree in georgia (us), circa 1906-20

one of earliest sources terebinth or turpentine tree (pistacia terebinthus), mediterranean tree related pistachio. important pines turpentine production include: maritime pine (pinus pinaster), aleppo pine (pinus halepensis), masson s pine (pinus massoniana), sumatran pine (pinus merkusii), longleaf pine (pinus palustris), loblolly pine (pinus taeda) , ponderosa pine (pinus ponderosa).

canada balsam, called canada turpentine or balsam of fir, turpentine made oleoresin of balsam fir. venice turpentine produced western larch larix occidentalis.

to tap sap producing layers of tree, turpentiners used combination of hacks remove pine bark. once debarked, pine trees secrete oleoresin onto surface of wound protective measure seal opening, resist exposure micro-organisms , insects, , prevent vital sap loss. turpentiners wounded trees in v-shaped streaks down length of trunks channel oleoresin containers. collected , processed spirits of turpentine. oleoresin yield may increased as 40% applying paraquat herbicides exposed wood.

the v-shaped cuts called catfaces resemblance cat’s whiskers. these marks on pine tree signify used collect resin turpentine production.