The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-11-10
DIGGING FOR KAURl GUM.
A NOVEL AND PECULIAR INDUSTRY IN
NEW ZEALAND.
The Beautiful Ksuri Trees aud Their
Product Huge subterranean Deposits
of Gum-How 1t Is Mined by the Msoris
Its Use for varnish Making.

| beautiful tree that grows in New Zeal
and. IL is species OF pine, and Is tha
only pine on the Islands W which produces
cone. The tree attains enormous body,
and grows to a great height. Most OF
the trees are eight and twelve feet in
| diameter. and $50 feet in length. Sons
| prodigies among the colossal giants are
| 30 feet around and 200 feet high.
The wood is very solid, and receives q
fine polish. IL Is In great request for
| building houses in New Zealand, and is a
favorite wood FOR furniture. The tall,
| handsome trunks are also largely used as
the posts for masts on ships. The trees
grow only on the North Island OF New
| Zealand, above the 3s degrees OF latitude.
| They are OF emi-tropic character; are a
| native growth, and only found In New
| Zealand.
On the narrow peninsula OF North Is
land the kauris form great forests, and
the rivers and bays are fronted with a
dense wilderness Of stalwart trees. The
cedars OF Lebanon are not wider known
than are the kauris of New Zealand. The
trees have achieved world wide fame on
account of the beautiful gum W hich flows
| from their trunks.
The gum Is one OF the chief products OF
export in New Zealand. SIX thousand
tons OF the commodity-valued at si,.
l53,7s4-are exported yearly. The gum,
or rosjn, is as aard and brittle, almost, as
glass, and of clear, yellow color-some
OF IL almost transparent. IT Is used in
the manufacture of fine varnish, and
produces the best varnish in the world.
IT is used chiefly at the factories in Eng
land and the United States. When the
traA Ia hor cd ha N
out and down the trunk to the ground in
tiow two and three inches Ia depth,
like the rosin-fow on the long leaied
pines in the Iurpentine region Of the
Carolinas. The gum is first white, but
after 1t remains in the ground, or is ex-
posed to the sun for some time, IL as
sumes its rich yellow color and hardness.
When the fiow issues from the trees IL
is thin and watery, and enters the porous
soil, and forms underground ledges under
the trees. At certain seasons the gum
exudes from the body Of the .rees, near
the roots, and forms q steady dow OF
rosin, which 10 absorbed by the ground.
In many of the open valleys, and on the
treeless hillsides, where the kauri forests
have for ages been extinct, are found
subterranean quarries OF gum, like coal
ledges under the soil. Even under the
lava overfiows, where the eruptions have
destroyed the trees, are found, down in
the earth, great deposits of gum.
Age mellows the gum and gives IL
hardness and quality. The earth for
many miles through New Zsaland is
underlaid with the gum quarries. Ths
growing forests ire not alone resorted to,
but wherever a kauri grove has lived can
be found the coveted treasure. In break.
ing up the land in new grounds great
deal of the clear rosin is uncovered.
The gum is sometimes found in Jumps
and narrow lodges, and other times in
large deposits.
In the open country, where the forests
have died and left the gum in the earth,
the excavation of the rosin is easiest.
The lndergrowtb, vines and roots of the
trees render the digging of the gum
among growing trees more laborious and
cjfficult. The rosin will also collect in
cavities and in the hollows of partially
decayed trees.
Gum digging is one OF the principal in.
dustries in New Zealand, end is exten-
sively engaged in. The gum fields very
much resem BILE and reminded me OF the
gold mining camps of California and the
placer diggings in the territories. The
gum diggers pitch their tents in the
open country, and, unlike the gold
hunters, do not follow surface indica-
tions or outcroppings, but sink their pits
wherever they think the kauri trees have
grown. When the gum Is found the
esrth is removed, and the rosin collected
In barrels.
AS the open country is largely occupied
by gum diggers, many OF the miners re-
sort to the dense forests and to the banks
of the rivers, and delve Tor the "yellow
ore." Some OF the miners enter the
owamps and ,orm camps in the morasses
in quest OF gum. Everywhere through
out the great timber region of North
Island and along every stream are found
the diggers' camps. The natives have
been engaged in gum digging for many
years. Over 800 Maoris are yearly oc-
cupied in searching for rosin. They
build brush huts In the woods by inter-
lacing the boughs of trees amos ng France
work OF stakes, and cover the rude Dtruc-
ture with bark. Some OF their nuts are
formed OF grass thatcb. and have doors
and windows. Their primitive dwell.
ings are scattered over the gum region
wherever they are digging. Some OF the
Maoris unite in bands and build a ham
let of huts together, and carry on their
work in companies. Some sonvey the
rosin to market and Others dig the gum.
When the product Is sold they divide up
the result.
Before white men came to the island,
and before an English colony had been
formed in New Zealand, the natives had
used the gum for makin fires, as the
rich rosin produced a strong and steady
fame. BY m king the Jumps of gum
among the logs OF wood they soon made
q hot aud brilliant fire.
For ages the Maoris also manufactured
ornaments OF various kinds out OF the
bright yellow rosin, with which they de.
corated their costumes. The clear and
almost transparent gum makes very
pretty forms and ornaments, but, like
glass, Is so brittle as to stand but little
wear. The great muscular prowess of the
natives, their strength and capacity to
endure fatigue, made them successful
gum diggers, and their acquaintance
with We forests and knowledge OF where