RULES FOB RESIN TAPPING. 217 



Freshenings should commence from 7th March in favourable 

 localities and from 16th March in colder localities. If it is 

 not considered profitable in any coupe or plot to commence freshen- 

 ing so early as this, special permission must be obtained from the 

 Divisional Forest Officer for a later start. 



Freshenings must be continued up to the end of October- 

 without interruption and may be continued later if it appears 

 profitable. If in any area it appears profitable to cease freshenings 

 before the end of October, a special permission must be first obtained 

 from the Divisional (Forest Officer. Five freshenings must be 

 made per mouth ; even in colder areas at least two freshenings 

 must be carried out in the month of March. Freshenings consist 

 in removing from the channel a thin shaving so as to open up the 

 clogged resin ducts. In this work the blaze must not be length- 

 ened more than ^' at each freshening, i. e., the strip of bark 

 and wood which is removed at the top of the blaze must not be 

 more than 4" broad. The shaving should rapidly taper off in thick- 

 ness and should be only about 6" long. It should not, as is often 

 done, be continued down to the lip, as this in time makes the 

 channel much too deep. Channels should not be made deeper 

 than 1." The channels must be made parallel to the axis of the 

 tree or the existing channel following the guide line (vide rule 

 2e). The blaze must be clean cut and not torn and jagged, as in 

 that case the resin is held up and coagulates. In twisted fibre 

 trees the lower side of the twist (generally the right side) can 

 rarely be made quite clean and the blaze must not be made of 

 excessive depth or width in the attempt 'to do this. Adzes must 

 always be kept very sharp (particularly for twisted fibre areas) 

 or the cuts will never be made clean. 



Periodical sharpening by the lohar is required but coolies must 

 carry a small stone for sharpening the adze. 



The tapping period is eight months, i. e. March to October 

 inclusive. This allows for 40 freshenings during the year. At every 

 freshening the blaze is lengthened a maximum of %" so that at 



