138 JOURNAL OF FORKSTRY 



Fresh streaks are cut every other day, due regard being taken of 

 weather conditions. 



In the ''swallow nest" or "svalbo" method a crescent-shaped strip of 

 galvanized sheet iron is grooved into the face, forming a box that is 

 moved up from time to time as the face lengthens, so that a lesser 

 amount of turpentine will evaporate as the resin trickles from the streak 

 to the cup formed by the sheet iron. 



In the boring method a hole is bored into the tree near the base and 

 the lower end of the face is constricted to conduct the flowing resin into 

 this hole, from which it is collected with special spoons. 



The bureau has found that it is better to work a smaller area inten- 

 sively than a larger area with more extensive methods. The trees are 

 faced and boxed by able-bodied forest rangers, but chipping, dipping, 

 and scraping are done by women, and particularly crippled men, who 

 do piece-work under a bonus system, earning as much as 30 pfennings 

 per hour. 



Spruce resin is gathered by the "Vogtlandska'' (Voightland) method. 

 Trees that are approximately sixty years old and that are to be cut 

 within ten years are chosen, though no trees that are to be cut within 

 several years are orcharded. The production of spruce resin increases 

 from year to year, reaching a maximum in about three years. The 

 yield during the first year is low. Resin is produced in the greatest 

 quantities by trees that have good crowns and that are located on warm 

 and protected exposures. When the bark begins to "slip" in the spring 

 the trees are faced. This can be done at any time from the end of April 

 to the latter part of July. In facing, a longitudinal cut 2 meters high, 

 beginning about 60 cm. above the ground, is first cut with an ax. Par- 

 allel with this cut and about 2.5 to 3 cm. distant, similar cuts are made 

 on each side of the first cut, connecting at the lower end with the first 

 cut. The bark is then peeled from the area between these cuts. Addi- 

 tional faces are cut on the same tree, leaving a strip of bark from 12 to 

 15 cm. wide between each face. Some trees may therefore have three 

 or four faces. Faces on the south side of the tree, where the sun strikes 

 during the hot part of the day, are avoided. At the end of the season 

 the resin that has accumulated on the faces is scraped off very carefully 

 and collected. The resin is gathered only once each year, usually before 

 the cold weather of winter arrives. In the gathering of spruce resin 

 the work is chiefly done b}^ women, who are paid 22 pfennings per hour. 



In the northern part of Germany and in large areas in Poland the 

 resin is principally obtained from pine, but in southern Germany large 



