164 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



At the present time, areas of maritime pine are most commonly 

 regenerated by natural regeneration. In cases where the pine 

 is grown on land that did not previously bear a crop of pine, the 

 crop can be established by sowing or by planting. When the 

 young crop has reached an age of about eight or ten years the 

 young branches are pruned over the whole length of stem that is 

 covered with furrowed bark. The blanks in the crop are filled 

 up, and the crop is thinned so that the trees are spaced out at 

 intervals of about 3-50 metres (n^ feet). At fifteen years, in 

 good localities, the tapping of the trees begins. Only those trees 

 are tapped which will be removed in a later thinning when about 

 220 trees are left on the hectare (2|- acres). A third thinning 

 made later still will bring down the number to 150-180 trees per 

 hectare. The trees which are to be removed in thinnings will 

 be tapped to death before they are removed, but the 150-180 

 trees that are destined to form the main crop will not be tapped 

 until they have reached such a size that a man who surrounds 

 the stem with his arm can no longer see the tips of his fingers. 

 The exact time at which the thinnings are made, and the year 

 in which the tapping is commenced, will depend on the locality. 



The first " care " or " face " is made on the south-east side of 

 the tree, on which the roughest bark is generally found. In 

 February, the bark of this side of the tree is cut so as to expose 

 a smooth surface ; the wood is not cut. The prepared surface 

 is about 10-15 cm ' (4"6 inches) broad at the base of the tree, 

 and the height of the prepared surface is about 60-70 cm. 

 (23-27 inches). From the end of February onwards, the resiner 

 removes from this surface a slice of about 9 cm. (3^ inches) 

 broad, and of about 1 cm. (f-inch) thickness. During the first 

 year, the scar made jn this manner reaches to a height of 

 65 cm. (26 inches). In the second year, it is extended by 

 75 cm. (29 inches) ; in the three years that follow, it is increased 

 by 80 cm. (31 inches) each year. Six to seven collections of 

 resinous material are made in the course of one season. In order 

 to carry out the necessary operations of extending the scar from 

 which the resin flows, use was formerly made of a "crabe." 

 This consisted of a pine stem on which were nailed several 

 triangular blocks of wood. The resiner was able to reach the 

 position on the stem on which he wished to extend the scar. 

 This apparatus is now rendered unnecessary by the use of a 

 long-handled tool with a cutting edge at right angles to the 



