GUM BBSEARCH 69 



A second attempt was nuule to deterniiiie the effect of ta])ping talk trees hut the 

 forestry official to whom the work of tappiiif^ and collection was confided again failed to 

 carry out the work in a satisfactory manner, and the results were useless except to 

 confirm the conclusion that the sample first furnished was not reliable. 



A third attempt was made, the operations of tapping being carried out under the 

 supervision of the writer. The trials made and their results are detailed below. 



Red 'J'aUi Trees. Ttippal \uvf/iiher 18 rpj) 



a \ m Til ^"^^' trees 



bERiES A. ien trees tapped by a clean cut with a sharp spoke-shave, removing both bark 

 and liber. The strips removed were about 10 x 1| inches. They were taken from 

 the trunk alone, since the branches were too high to be accessible. 



Nov. 24. No appearance of gum. 



Bee. 18. No appearance of gum. 



The cut appeared to have healed wlien observed on Nov. 24. 

 Series B. Strips, of outer bark only, removed by means of the spoke-shave. Five trees 

 operated upon. 



Nov. 24. No appearance of gum. 



Dec. 18. No appearance of gum. 

 Series C. Simple horizontal gashes, to the number of about six on each tree, made 

 with a small native axe. Six trees operated upon. 



Nov. 24. (luni just beginning to exude. 



Dec. 18. All the trees but one (C 4) showed exudation of a small amount of 

 gum at each gash. The gum was dark coloured except in the case of tree (C 5) 

 which liad apparently been less affected by fire. 

 Series D. Two horizontal clean cuts, so made as to remove a wedge-shaped piece of 

 the bark and liber, and exposing the wood. Six trees operated upon. 



Nov. 24. Gum beginning to appear. 



Dec. 18. Nos. 1, 2 and 3 showed a slight exudation, No. 4 a large blob of gum 

 of rather dark colour. No. 5 tree, markedly less affected by fire, yielded no gum. 

 Series E. Six trees treated as in D. but the bark adjoining the cut bruised by blows 

 with blunt end of the axe. 



Nov. 24. Gum beginning to appear in most cases, but of dark colour. 



Dec. IS. In four cases gum was found to be exuding in fair quantity but 

 rather dark in colour, especially where it had passed through the cracks in the bruises. 



Two of the trees, which were larger and less affected by tire, showed no 

 exudation at all. 

 Series F. Simple vertical gashes made by blows of a small sharp axe. Six trees 

 operated upon. 



Nov. 24. Gum beginning to exude in some cases. 



Dec. 18. Two trees showed practically no result from the tapping. One of Tapping 

 them was almost completely shaded by a large tree with heavy foliage. The '^^P""""""^ 

 i-emaining four trees showed gum either at some or at all of the gashes. 

 Series G. Bark and liber removed and an auger hole made in the denuded wood. In 

 this case the removal of the bark was effected by making a horizontal cut and 

 loosening the bark beneath it by bruising slightly with the blunt end of the axe. 

 In this way a strip of the bark may be pulled off by hand, an operation which is 

 otherwise sometimes effected with difficulty. Six trees operated upon. 



Nov. 24. No appearance of gum. 



