The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-01-15

down TO make logs the picker shells it
from the standing tree; but this is a
much harder method, although in many
cases larger quantity is procured, be-
cause none is lost, as in the case where
the spruce is falling and rolls against
other giants of the forest, stripping it
at times of several quarts of its gum
deposits, providing there is weIl-i1led
seam in the tree. In collecting the
Jumps of gum from the standing spruce
the picker has an apparatus especially
arranged for the purpose. 1t consists
of long pole, upon the top of which
is a little sack that will hold about two
quarts of gum. Back of this sack is q
piece of iron or steal made like ham
mer and working upon pivot, while q
cord is attached to the end and extends
to the foot of the pole. The picker
places the top of this picking machine
along the gummy seam of the spruce,
and by operating the little hammer by
means of the cord is able to chip off the
Jumps of gum into the sack located
under the top of the hammer. Some
times from one tree bushel of gum is
picked, but not very often is the gath
erer fortunate in finding so productive
spruce, and he is quite contented in
plucking from pint to half bushel
from each.
When the days picking is finished
all return to camp, and, sitting around
the open fire in the evening, clean this
gum piece by piece, some requiring
quite large amount of scraping while
other pieces need but little. Quite
often the picker will find spruce with
large seam from the. trunk to over
half the length of the tree, while bulg-
Ing from each side. will be bright,
clear Jumps of choice gum. He also
finds trees with large Jumps projecting
from the side, while in the spruce not
seam can be found. Great punches
Of gum are frequently found on the
trunk of the tree.
There are different kinds of gum.
The choice is the clear and best Jumps,
what the pickers term bright. Then
comes the second grade, consisting Of
the assortment next to the choice,
while the third grade is disposed of at
low figure. and is made into patent
gum. A fgurehead of the gum pickers
Is the middleman, who is general mar
ager, superintends the work, and sells
the gum. From one posse of pickers
this middleman often handles four
thousand pounds in a season. Often
he makes a deal with the pickers, by
supplying them with food and clothing
ind finding a market, the profits being
shared. You will understand that the
gum is always toted several miles
through the woods to reach point Of
transportation.
The most gum handled by dealers in
this section is received from Aroostook
.ounty, Canada, and New York state.
Gum, not being a manufactured arti-
Gle, is free Of duty. An Augusta firm
handled over two thousand, two hun
ired pounds last year. When candy
sold for fourteen cents a pound an even
exchange was made for a pound of
gum. During the summer, If you have
ever visited the forest and observed the
spruce, you have doubtless noticed that
the gum was of sticky nature; it is
then that it forms for the next winters
gum gatherer, and when the cold
weather comes it gradually hardens.
No patent gum has as yet surpassed
the flavor of the spruce. and as long as
these trees stand will the gum chewer
cling to its product. -Kennebec jour
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