CHAPTER XXI L 



TAPPING-KNIVES AND UTENSILS 



. Of tapping-knives it may be stated that their 

 name is legion. It would be of no advantage to attempt 

 to give a description of the great variety of ingenious contriv- 

 ances, patented and unpatented, designed for the purpose of 

 ensuring good tapping and lessening the possibility of wounds 

 to the trees. Suffice it to state that, in this as in many other 

 cases, the simplest tools are the best. The two most popular 



FIG, 45. Jebong Knife. 



FIG. 46. Bent Gouge used in Tapping. 



tools for tapping, and probably the two best, are the ordinary 

 gouge and the Jebong tapping-knife, and variations of these. 

 Both of these tools are, of course, of the simplest description. 

 They are inexpensive. There are no guides or screws to adjust, 

 and therefore the simple man, though a coolie, need not err 

 therein. Repairs are nil ; resharpening is easily done. 



Among the well-known tapping-knives in use on many 

 estates, and giving good results under skilled supervision, are 



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