298 DATE SUGAR INDUSTRY IN BENGAL. 



being taken not to cut into the inner zone, which is now for the 

 first time simply exposed. Then comes a rest of 12 to 14 days 

 which brings us to the beginning of November. The Gachi as a rule 

 divides his trees into six convenient groups called palas, each contain- 

 ing 50 or 60 trees, the number which he can operate on in one day ? 

 300 to 400 being the total number which one man can manage. 

 Next after midday he cuts two eye-shaped notches 3 4 inches long 

 and about J inch deep at the base, their lower sides being straight 

 and converging to a point, below which a split bamboo spout is 

 driven into the tree. About 3 or 4 o'clock in the afternoon an 

 earthenware pot is suspended under the spout and the juice which 

 trickles down is collected. The pots are removed early next 

 morning, at 6 or 7 A.M., before the sun gets on them, and the juice 

 boiled into sugar. On the following night juice is again collected 

 generally without renewing the cut though the surface is as a 

 rule cleaned with the hard stem of a palm-leaf. A much smaller 

 quantity is generally obtained than on the first night. On the 

 third evening also more juice is, as a rule, collected, but it is 

 only small in amount and of very poor quality. Each night's 

 juice has a distinctive name given to it. That of the first night 

 is called Jiran (rest), of the second night DoJcat (second cut) 

 and of the third night Tekat (third cut). On the fourth and fifth 

 nights no juice is collected. After six days the cut is renewed a little, 

 and for three days juice is again obtained, being given the same names 

 as before. The tapping process goes on in this way throughout 

 the season. The first 2 3 weeks' supply is very valuable, for the 

 gur produced from it, called Noten-gur, has a very pleasant smell 

 and is much appreciated by the consumers. It fetches a high price. 



Of course it is not to be supposed that in all cases such a regular 

 system of tapping is carried out. Sometimes the trees are cut for 

 2 3 days in succession, and sometimes they may be cut every 

 fourth day. But such frequent tapping soon destroys the trees. 



The daws (bill hooks) require much attention. They are daily 

 sharpened on a piece of dry wood sprinkled over with fine sand while 



