70 



liEPOET OF CHEMICAL LABORATORY 



Experiments 

 continued 



Dec. 18. In the case of one fairly large sound tree, no gum was found at 

 the point of tapping. In all the other cases there exuded a fair, and usually quite 

 considerable, amount of gum which was dark in colour, especially in the case of the 

 trees most injured by fire. 

 Seeies H. An auger bole, about ^-inch in diameter, made through the bark and into the 

 wood. Six trees treated. 



jVoy. 24. Slight exudation of gum, from between the bark and the wood. None 

 from the wood itself. 



Dec. 18. A small quantity of gum — usually of dark colour — exuding from most 

 of the holes. 

 Series J. Holes made by "pecking" with a sharp-pointed axe. Six trees operated upon. 



Not'. 24. Gum beginning to exude at each point. 



Dec. 18. In five out of the six trees, gum of fair colour was found exuding from 

 nearly all the " pecks." In one case, when the exposed roots of a large tree had been 

 much affected by fire, but the rest of the tree practically uninjured, there was an 

 extremely large amount of gum yielded at one of the " pecks." 

 Series K., L. and M., These trees were tapped by removing the bark and liber in the 

 manner detailed for Series G, and the cut surface was treated with strong anti- 

 septics in order to determine whether such treatment would prevent inoculation 

 and gum production. 

 Series K. A solution of corrosive sublimate rubbed into the freshly denuded surface 

 and the neighbouring bark. Three trees operated on. 



Nov. 24. Gum appearing in greater quantity than in the previously detailed 

 experiments. 



Dec. 18. Considerable exudation of gum, of rather lighter colour than the 

 average yielded in the former series of experiments. 

 Series L. Diluted formalin applied, under the same conditions, to three trees. 

 {Note. The roots of these trees had been considerably injured by fire.) 



As in the case of Series K, all three of the trees exuded a large amount of 

 gum. In one case there was not less than a pound, partly hanging from the tree 

 and partly lying on the ground. 

 Series M. Three trees taken. The treatment in this ease was with a solution of 

 sodium metabisuljjhite. The results yielded were in the main similar to those in 

 the case of experiments K and L. One of the trees yielded practically no gum, 

 but the remaining two yielded much larger amounts than in the case of simple 

 tapping without the use of chemicals. 



The gum, in all three cases of chemical treatment, was evidently exuded much 

 more quickly than is usually the case, and it was spread over the tree to such an 

 extent that it could not be removed without great loss. 



White 

 talk trees 



White Talk Trees 



These trees were tapped on November 19 and the observations made on December 17. 

 Series A. Ten trees. Simple tapping by removing a strip about 8 inches long, including 

 both bark and liber. The removal of the bark was effected as in Series G of the 

 Red Talk trees. 



When examined on December 17 most of these trees, fairly sound, showed little 

 or no appearance of gum. Several trees which had obviously been injured by fire 

 exuded a fair amount of gum of dark colour. 



