I think she means pine tar

Pine tar was used for:  Farmers to grease the old lynch wagons;  Mothers
would use it for sore throats (diphtheria);  and used in horse troughs for
distemper.
Pine tar extraction:
Done by selecting large pine stumps and cutting the rich pine into pieces 6
to 8 inches long.
These pieces were then driven into a huge iron pot so tight that they could
not fall out.
This iron pot was then turned upside down on a big flat rock set up so as to
slope enough to allow the
tar to flow to run out at one place into collecting jugs.
Then a fire was built on top of the bottom of the iron pot to heat the pine
sticks enough to drain the tar
out.
This pine tar was then peddled from door to door for 10 cents a gallon.
Salesmen would stop distance from the homes and holler to ask if the dog
would bite or if there were any Zeezee's in the house;
if the dog bit or if there were any (diseases) in the house they would
refuse to enter the homes.

hope this helps

phebe morgan
sarasota fla

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