Naval Stores

Naval Stores is the inclusive term used to denote products obtained from the oleoresin or resin of pine trees.

This pine tree shows the "cat’s face" notches that released gum to flow into the "Herty" cup (pat. 1902).  This new method for gum collection did less damage to trees than the previous "box" method where a hole was cut into the base of the trunk to allow the resin to drain into a metal box.

After 1915, galvanized tin or aluminum replaced the fragile clay of the Herty cups.  The "gutters" directed the flow of gum.

Turpentine camps thrived in the Micanopy area in the late 1800s.  Collectors were mostly African-Americans who scraped the gum from each box or cup into barrels.  Boiling gum in kettles was tedious and expensive, and later it was more economical to transport the barrels to Jacksonville for processing into turpentine.

Cat-faced turpentine trees can still be found in the woods, as well as broken Herty cups.

To learn more about Naval Stores and the turpentine industry in Florida, click here.