RULES FOB RESIN TAPPING 215 



channel has been left, and in no case must the maximum dimen- 

 sions be exceeded in light continuous tapping. All adzes are to be 

 the original square pattern but must be given a bend in their blades 

 of about 65 degrees to prevent them cutting too deep into the wood. 

 In subsequent years tapping, the lips are first removed, burnt to 

 clear them from old resin and hammered into shape ; broken ones 

 are rejected and new ones substituted. The chisel cut is then 

 made at a point about 4 5 " from the top of the previous year's 

 channel. The burning of old lips should be done in a place where 

 the forest may not be endangered by fire. 



(c) Fixing the nails. Nails must be not under l^" in length. 

 They are fixed in the centre, about 1" below the lips and on them 

 the pots are hung. In some cases it may be found easier to put 

 the nails a little to one side or the other, the important point to 

 iix the nails is that the pot shall so hang that all the resin will 

 fall into it from the lip. If pots are hung subsequent to fixing 

 of nails, the latter should be moved again if necessary if the pot 

 is not in correct position. 



(a) Clearing of loose baric. This is done best by rubbing bark 

 with the sides of the basula. The object is to rub off all loose 

 pieces of outer bark, which would otherwise flake off later during 

 the tapping season and fall into the resin pot ; in addition to 

 this, all bark over the length of 6" and width 5" should be cut 

 (" chilloed ") leaving at least " thickness of bark at the place 

 where the channel is to proceed during the year. It is desirable 

 that at each freshening bark should be " chilloed " first, then 

 the wood be cut. Experience has shown this prevents the channel 

 becoming deep when freshenings are being made. 



(e) Marking on the bark lines for the channels. All channels 

 are to proceed parallel to the axis of the tree or when old channels 

 exist parallel to the existing channel and if, owing to a knot or 

 wound, or the tree being crooked, this results in continuation of 

 the channel being impossible it will be discontinued. To ensure 



