34 



AGRICULTURE HANDBOOK 134, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



The second team lays out and connects the 

 lateral and main lines. The coiled bundles of 

 lines are sorted and the one with the label for 

 the sugar grove area where the work is to begin 

 is selected. The coil is cut apart, and the lead- 

 man of the team, holding a bundle by the tied 

 flush ends, pulls it to the first tapped tree, 

 following- the blaze marks of the preceding year. 

 Since each bundle contains tubing of different 

 lengths, the second man (who is at the starting 

 point at that time) selects the tube that 

 matches the distance from the starting point to 

 the first tree and pulls it from the bundle. Both 

 men now advance. The leadman proceeds to the 

 second tree and the second man to the first 

 tree, where he again selects a length of tubing 

 that matches the distance between the two 

 trees. He connects the lateral lines with the 

 tees of the droplines. This procedure is repeated 

 until the entire grove has been reassembled 

 with the droplines and lateral lines. 



siimniarv' 



Plastic tubing can be used for the full opera- 

 tion of sap collection and transportation or it 

 can be used to perform parts of these opera- 

 tions. 



(1) Install plastic tubing as a drainage system 

 with proper vents and adequate size tubing 

 so as not to restrict sap flow in tubes. 



(2) Do not connect tapholes in series, except 

 possibly those on individual trees. 



(3) Lay the tubing on the ground or suspend it. 

 Avoid any sags in the lines, and vent these 

 whenever they occur. 



Installiufi Tubinn 



(1) Tubing is ground-supported lateral and 

 main lines. 



(2) Each taphole is connected to the lateral 

 line by a dropline consisting of a spout, 

 vent, and 5-foot length of ^/le-inch tubing, 

 and a tee connector, preassembled. 



(3) Lateral lines are ^/le-inch tubing cut to fit 

 between different trees. 



(4) Make connections of lateral lines and drop- 

 lines on warm side of trees. 



(5) Lay the lateral lines along a route of con- 

 stant pitch free of sags, previously laid out. 



(6) A 3-man team lays out the lateral line 

 most efficiently. 



(7) The number of droplines connected to one 

 ^/i6-inch lateral line will depend on (a) the 

 flow of sap per taphole and (b) the pitch of 

 the lateral line. Do not connect more than 

 25 tapholes per lateral line. 



(8) A V2-inch main line will cari-y sap from 75 

 tapholes (3 laterals). 



(9) Increase the size of the main lines so that 

 they are never overloaded. Failure to do so 

 will cause back pressure and loss of sap. 



(10) Periodic inspection of the tubing is re- 

 quired for leaks. 



Taking Doivn Tubing 



(1) Take the tubing down as soon as possible — 

 never later than 1 week after last run. 



(2) Remove all droplines intact, and tie in a 

 bundle. 



(3) Keep 1-foot connectors separate. 



(4) Collect lateral lines, keeping the lead ends 

 flush in the hand-held bundle. 



(5) Coil and tie for ease of handling. 



(6) Label the bundle at flush ends for the area 

 of woods where installed. 



Washing and Sanitizing 



(1) Wash all tubing in a 5-percent hypochlorite 

 (bleach) solution. 



(2) Submerge and soak all tubing and fittings 

 in hypochlorite solution for at least 2 hours. 



(3) Flush out all tubing as per preceding in- 

 structions. 



(4) Keep flush ends of tubing tied in bundle at 

 all times. 



(5) Open coiled tubing after washing. 



(6) Lay tubing on incline to drain. 



(7) Hang droplines in vertical position. 



(8) Recoil droplines and mains for storage. 



(9) Store in dark, dry, rodent-free area. 



Rfinstalling Tubing 



(1) Follow the same procedure as initial instal- 

 lation: 



(a) Install droplines. 



(b) Connect droplines. 



(c) Lay out lateral lines and connect to 

 droplines. 



(d) Connect lateral lines to main lines. 



(2) Lateral lines are laid out according to the 

 scheme outlined in text. 



