33 
34 KAURI ‘* GUM. 
hand, very narrow slits are made the tapping will aay pay Ss pigioy 
I may say at once that my preliminary experiment does not confirm this 
The general opinion among the Kauri timber-workers and Kauri 
companies seems to be that ‘‘ bleeding ~ renders the timber brittle, and 
if Kauri ‘‘ bleeding ’’ is allowed at all it should be restricted to the 
erown, Exact experiments have not yet been made to ascertain whether 
this belief is founded on fact, or whether 1t 1s assumed to be so, because 
ihe timber that has been bled badly tends to become bored, and thus 
more brittle. . ; Pa: ne eee 
It is difficult to see how resin-tapping can injure the Kauri timber 
being felled now, since the old trees of the virgin forest are nearly all 
heartwood, and heartwood is dead tissue. Whatever its qualities, good 
or bad, they were settled long ago, and will not be altered now by the 
little ring of live tissue on the outside, the sapwood, supposing for the 
sake of argument that the sapwood were affected by the resin-tapping. 
Gemmage a@ wie would require ten or fifteen years to investigate. 
Groups of Kauri trees would have to be yariously tapped, the timber 
cut up after an interval, and regularly tested. 
The late Mr. Matthews (Lands Yearly Report, 1905, p. 75) quotes 
Ranger Lusk’s opinion with regard to bleeding: ‘‘I have given,’’ says 
Mr. Lusk, ‘‘ the subject close attention, and I am of opinion that Kauri 
trees may be tapped without injuring them (or the timber), but if the 
work is carried on in a rash and careless manner the trees and timber 
would undoubtedly suffer.’’ 
It is difficult to believe that the resin-tapping of Kauri, properly 
done, and in moderation, can harm the timber, because, as has been 
seen, the Kauri tree in a state of nature sheds its “‘gum’’ naturally. 
A Kauri-climber will get £1 or £1 10s. worth of ‘‘ gum ’’ from the crown 
of a big Kauri, as a matter of course, without any broken branch or 
decay, or special cause to account for the exuding of the resin (‘‘ gum”’); 
and at the end of a few years the Kauri-climbers will go up the same 
et and get another £1 or £1 10s. worth of ‘‘ gum ’”’ from the brancli 
orks. 
¢é oy “ 3 . + . _ a 
Gum-bleeding ’’ or Resin-tapping in Other Countries. 
France.—In France the resin-tapping of Cluster-pine has been 
practised since the time of the Romans. The great resin industry of 
Gascony need only be referred to here: it is well known from numerous 
writings in both French and English (see ‘‘ Bibliography’ in Part II 
of this work—separate publication). Just before the war broke out 
I had a forest tour in Gascony (“* Australian Forestry,’’ pp. 80, 259). 
Resin-tapping there is like picking apples from an Apple tree: it is 
done as a matter of course. If a man has half a dozen pine trees 1 
his back yard he will tap them. The Maritime-pine (Cluster-pine, Pinus 
pinaster ) and resin-tapping are to Gascony what wool is to New Zealand 
in wealth, but the forest affords very much more employment, The Pine- 
ee tng practised along with sheep and cattle raising and crops. 
ss ie aoe ced are worked in together, the forest providing most 
Hd em he ee 01 oe poor sandy soil, the pine-litter being passed 
eee fn a te here are farmers in all degrees, from the peasant 
an ates are gentleman, It is always intense farming and 
ly vata ¥ resin industry as it affects Australia is discussed 
Sat a ie jan “orestry,” p. 80 (Perth, 1916). The extraordinary 
S that New Zealand, endowed with these Kauri forests, where both 
