Part III.] E. BensKin and A. Rodger: Note on fhitsi. 21 
and a small or stunted tree may yield considerable quantities. A good 
tree is stated to yield 1J to 4 viss per annum. (1 viss=3*6 lbs.) 
The Divisional Forest Officer, Shwegyin (1906), estimated the yield 
of a tree 5 feet in girth to be 15 to 20 lbs. 
Mr. Blanford in writing to the Forest Economist, Dehra Dun, says: 
“ A good big tree of the black variety on which many notches can be made 
should yield about 1 viss of oil per year. Smaller trees, if tapped economi¬ 
cally, will only have 2 or 3 notches and will not yield as much. 
“ A good workman should be able to get 100 viss (360 xbs.) a year, 
and to get this he will have to superintend 500 notches. This is 
equivalent of about 200 trees. After the notch has been made a little 
time, the inner edge of the V must be shaved off, as otherwise the pores 
get choked up and the oil ceases to flow.” 
“ The following is a rough estimate of the number of trees over 6 
feet girth in the Division (Katha) :— 
Trees. 
Indaw Range ........ 5,000 
Moda.. 1,000 
Tigyaing Sub-division ....... 5,000 
Nankan Range ........ 2,500 
Total . 13,500 
“ There will probably be about the same number of trees between 
4' 6" and 6' breast-girth. If no trees are tapped below 4' 6", and all 
trees above are estimated to give an average of half a viss per annum, the 
total yield would be 13,500 viss per annum (48,600 lbs.) or 22 tons approxi¬ 
mately. 
“ This should not be under the mark, as I have it on the authority 
of Maung Po Thin, Extra-Assistant Conservator of Forests in charge 
of Indaw Range, that the annual yield from the Indaw Range alone 
was formerly about 7,000 viss or about 11 tons. 
“ Only a rough estimate can be given of the cost of extraction. If 
it is assumed that a man can obtain 100 viss during the eight months 
that tapping can be done, and if it be assumed that he is paid Rs. 15 
per mensem, the cost of obtaining 100 viss would be Rs. 120. The 
cost of extraction to the railway per 100 viss would not exceed Rs. 5 
from even the most remote localities. 
“ The monopoly for collection of thitsi in each range is usually sold 
yearly by tender. Lately, however, the tenders have been very low 
and, in a great number of cases, no tender has been received at all. 
[ nr ] 
