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exposed surface, in the shape of a very broad V, about 3 inches 

 across and ^ or A inch deep. Then the surface inside the 

 angle of the V is cut down, so that a triangular surface is cut 

 into the tree. From this surface exudation of the sap takes 

 place, and caught by the sides of the V, it runs down to 

 the angle, where a bamboo of the size of a lead-pencil (z. e., a 

 narrow bamboo channel) is inserted into the tree to catch 

 the dropping sap and carry it out as by a spout. 



558. ''The tapping is arranged throughout the season, 

 by periods of 6 days each. On the first evening a cut is made 

 as just described and the juice is allowed to run during the 

 night. The juice so flowing is the strongest and best, and 

 is called " jiran" juice. In the morning the juice collected 

 in a pot hanging beneath the bamboo spout is removed and 

 the heat of the sun causes the exuding juice to ferment over 

 and shut up the pores in the tree. So in the evening the 

 new cut is made, not nearly so deep as the last, but rather 

 a mere paring, and for the second night the juice is allowed 

 to run. This juice is termed " do-kat" and is not quite so 

 abundant or so good as the ''jiran." The 3rd night no new 

 cutting is made but the exuding surface is merelv made 

 quite clean, and the juice which runs this 3rd night is called 

 "jkarna." It is less abundant and less rich than the do-kat, 

 and towards the end of the season, when it is getting hot, 

 it is even unfit for sugar manufacture, the gur made from it 

 (and also from day jharna] being sold simply as " droppings." 

 These three nights are the periods of activity in the tree, 

 and after these three it is allowed to remain for three nights 

 at rest, when the same process again begins. Of course, 

 every tree in the same grove does not run in the same cycle. 

 Some are at their first, some at their second night, and so 

 on -, and thus the owner is always busy. 



559. " Since every sixth day a new cut is made over 

 the previous one, it follows that the tree gets more and more 

 hewed into as the season progreses, and towards the end 



