COLLECTION FROM WOUNDS MADE IN THE WOOD, 



179 



the resin encrusting the sides of the niche must be scraped off and 

 the wound freshened. The method of tapping just described ob- 

 viously injures the stem, and as the object of the tappers is to 

 obtain the largest quantity of resin, the pines always suffer in 

 their growth if they do not become sickly and die. It has been 

 found that more than one niche in a tree up to 18 inches in dia- 

 meter kills it. The open niche also allows bark and other impuri- 

 ties to fall into the turpentine. 



Since 1887 systematic tapping operations have been carried on 

 in the Pinus longifoUa and P. excelsa forests in Jaonsar. An 

 attempt has been made to follow the system employed in the tap- 

 ping of the cluster pine in the west of France ; but as the 

 French curved-bladed axe (Abchot, Fig. 64 D) was found too 



Fig. 64. 



French method of tapping pine for resin. 



A,— Blaze in full operation. 

 B. — Blaze thovm in horizonial tection. 

 C. — Blaze thown on a longitudinal sec- 

 tion. 



B. —Abchot or curved-bladed axe. 

 E. — Curved chisel for making incision, 

 for admission of zinc gutter g 

 in A. 



