79 



there are thicker trees to be tapped, then the cut will 

 become too long, and the regular shaving down of the 

 cutting surface along a straight line will become too 

 difficult. I saw this system applied only occasionally 

 (see fig. 28^). 



3. The single V- c u t. 



A method of tapping, which is applied generally, and 

 is specially suitable for young trees. At the bottom of 

 the tree, a V-cut is made, which takes in the whole 

 surface, terminating in a groove at the base of the V. 

 The cut, therefore, consists of two halves, having a 

 different direction. For young trees, the tapping of half 

 of the trunk surface does not present any objection ; 

 but for older trees, preference should be given to a system 

 under which not more than a quarter of the surface 

 is tapped (see fig. 28*:). 



4. The full herringbone. 



This is only made use of on old thick trees, quarter 

 surfaces of which are too large for the half her- 

 ringbone cut (see fig. 29). On both sides of the groove, 

 cuts are made running in different directions, each 

 covering one-eighth of the whole trunk surface, the 

 whole herringbone therefore, covers a quarter of the 

 surface. The herringbone is to be considered as a 

 groove with a series of V-cuts ; sometimes also the 

 terminal parts of the side canals alternate so that those 



