Connecticut western news., 1875-08-13
All About Gum.

~SA>S' @~DANO@S' child in the land who does not know what chewing gum is, or at least knows what is meant by the term. We have all seen the little round sticks done up in fancy colored papers, arranged in tiny boxes and display ed on the grocers' shelves to tempt the lit tie gum chewers to invest thelr pennies in the coveted prze.
 It has become staple article of com merce. No stock :n trade, from the apple woman to the wholesale grocer,is complete without this commodity. How few per haps of all who delight to chew the article know or think from whence it came or of what it is made. There are undoubtedly many adulterations and limitations, but the genuine article is obtained through many hardships and much adventure. It may not be generally known that on the borders of the great spruce forests of the northern New England states, as well as Northern New York and some parts of Canada, there is class of men who are called gum hunt ers,' and are so by education and occupa- ton. They follow the business for living during all seasons, except in winter when the snow is deep and impossible. The for ests are traversed by these hardy toilers. A description of one will be general des- cription of all of them and of their busi- ness.
 Their outfit consists of chisel about one and one-half inch wide attached to sec- tional handle, something like joint fish ing rod, so that it can be heightened or shortened at pleasure, each section being about six feet long, made of some straight, 1 light timber so as to be easily carried. Just at the socket of the chisel tin cup or fun neI surrounds the handle, to catch the pleces of gum as they are detached from the trunk of the tree. Armed with the im- plements of his trade, with bag of pro visions consisting of cold meat and bread, depending under the left arm. supported from the right shoulder, with the recepta- cle for the gum suspended under the right arm. With the other ever necessary i'm plements of a woodman, such as matches, hatchet, knife, pipe, etc., he sallics forth, scanning each tree as he journeys along. If any gum be exuded from the tree far up among the branches, his practised eye soon detects it. Joining together suffi- cient number of sections of his chisel rod, he skillfully detacbes it from the trunk of the tree. When all are secured he lowers and detaches his rod and takes the parcel from the cup in which it was caught when detached. And thus he goes on until night overtakes him, when, selecting @ good camping ground near water, he builds a fire, prepares couch of evergreen boughs, partakes his frugal meal and perh aps smokes his pipe for solace; arranges his fire SO that it will burn all night. ..and re- signs himself to sleep with nothing to dis turb his slumbers perchance but the noe turnal song of the boot owl or the angry growl of the bear as he scents the sleeping food but is deterred from near approach by the ever-burning campfire. When morning dawns, after his refreshing sleep and hearty breakfast of meat and br cad
 he goes forth to renew the labors of the day. No morning, midday or evening bells call him to or from his work but the rising and setting sun proclaim the beginning anc end of labor for the day. And thus on day after day, timeing himself to fetch around home when provisions are exhaust ed. The spruce gum thus gathered is ir little balls or knobs about the size of a walnut. and must be thoroughly scrapeG and cleaned before it is fit for market which is usually done at the camp fire be- fore retiring to repose. When thus pre-
 pared it is worth about one dollar per lb.. and this is the way pure spruce gum is ob
 tained, and of this the chewing gum oi commerce is supposed to be made. Oil oi spruce is obtained by different process and may furnish the subject for future article. CARBoN.
 Mt. Tabor, Vt., August 9th, 1875.