Balsams, Copals, Amber, and Other Products

Balsams are sticky, clear exudates from wood and resin pockets in the bark of certain conifers. The most useful one, Canada balsam, has been obtained from Abies balsamea (2). Canada balsam is mainly used in microscopy. It is produced on a small scale from the gum exuded from the blister resin pockets in the winter. A similar product, Oregon balsam, was obtained from Pseudotsuga menziesii (2). Production and value data for Canada balsams are available only up 1965 (6) because of infrequently collected statistics. The amount produced in 1965 was over 51000 pounds. Sandermann (25) discussed the physical and chemical properties of 33 different balsams, their major components, and qualitative tests to distin- 

Larch or Venetian turpentine is another softwood extractive product used in the 1950s (25). At that time, usage, largely as a solvent, was about 20 tons per year. Modern data on production volumes and prices of this product are not available. 

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