METHOD OF TAPPING. 207 



is commenced by cutting a groove, about 6* long 4* broad, and 

 not more than 1" deep, with a sharp adze (basula). This much 

 is done at the time of putting on the lips and cups. 



The real work of extracting resin is commenced about the 

 middle of March, by removing from the top of the cut, a thin 

 shaving, as thin as possible, when the resin begins to exude at 

 once and drains into the pot. This process of removing a thin 

 shaving from the top is called a " freshening, r ' and the cut has to 

 be freshened about every six or seven days- (five times a month), 

 throughout the summer as the resin gradually dries on the 

 exposed surface, and clogs the outlets of the resin ducts. 



The continued weekly freshening gradually lengthens the 

 blaze, and at the end of the year it should be about IS' long. 

 This length is found in practice to be most suitable, as it gives 

 a good flow of resin and avoids the use of a ladder until the fifth 

 year. Before commencing the second year's work, the nail and pot 

 are removed up to within 4' or 5' of the top of the last year's 

 channel. This ensures a minimum distance for the resin to flow, 

 and this prevents evaporation and solidifying on the way to the 

 pot. As soon as the cups are filled with resin, they are emptied by 

 a collecting coolie into canisters, or old kerosine oil tins. The 

 periodical emptying varies from once in a week to once in a 

 month, according to the flow of resin. The resin thus collected 

 is carried to the forest dep6t and stored in a cool shady place, 

 usually near the cart-road or main line of export, if it is not too 

 far from the tapping area. 



2. The Tapping scheme. In the pine forests of the Landes 

 of France, there are two methods of tapping i. e. " gemmage a, vie,' T 

 or tapping lightly and " gemmage d mart ", or tapping to death, 

 the object being to tap all trees lightly, so as not to injure them, 

 with the exception of those which are to be felled within the 

 next five years. On these as many blazes are put as the tree will 

 take, so as to extract all the available resin. In Kumaun for the: 



