The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-02-11
GATHERING SPRUCE GUM.
An Industry That FIOurishes in the
Northern Weeds

Northern Woods
SARANAC LAKE. n. Y, Feb. 11-The
gumpickers Of the forests OF New York
Maine, and other Northern States pursue
q vocation Of considerable profit that is
little known to inhabitants Of the cities
or towns outside the shadow of the great
woodland tracts. Many persons who claim
some knowledge OF woodcraft are skepti-
cal when the statement is made that the
stick Of gum called spruce gum, wrapped
in tinfou covered outside with a fancy
paper, and sold in the shops, IS an adul-
iteration of little amber-colored chunks
found on the trunks of spruce trees IN
the forest where the sap has oozed cut to
heal some wound. The pure gum of the
spruce tree appears on the tTee-tTunks
like drops of wax, crystallizes, and is
gathered by the gum pickers, WHO clean it
and sell it 10 the gum manufacturers,
who adulterate the pure gum as much as
their consciences permit Some Of The
adulterants used are parafine. rosin, and
chicle.
Picking the spruce gun and selling it to
chewIng-gum men is the principal source
of income for a great many men during
the winter months. The gum-p picker may
be a guide. or in the summer he may OPP
crate one Of the small farms at the edge
of the forest. There are, however, many
who make gum thering a business the
year through Preparations for gum
picking do not call for much capital The
most-needed article is the long pole. at
the end Of which is a can, very often to-
nnato or a corn can. or a funnel about
three inches wide at the Top, to which Is
fastened a sharp chisel. called the gum
spud-'' This tool the gum gatherer
pushes far up the trunk Of the tree until
the chiseI has cut loose the chunk Of
gum, which falls into the can, from which
Il is emptied into a sack or basket. In
the winter they travel on snowshoes from
/ ten to fifteen miles through the forest,
/ and at night lie down to sleep In an old
! shack, deserted by hunters and fishermen,
I more or less open TO the elements, en-
: bed of pine and balsam bOughs, with
I blanket more or less dirty TO cover them.
/ They may select hut of this sort for
! headquarters for three or four weeks,
starting out in the morning 10 plunge into
! the forest, some equipped with a compass,
| and others depending u.on their own
powers of observation and knowledge OF
woodcraft to get them safely back again
! at the end Of the day
/ IN the Adiroudacks there are three kinds
]
J spruce and the white spruce, the red
now recognized as a separate species.
/ having heretofore been included under the
! head of black spruce The tree forms
/ regular cone, and attains height Of from
! 20 TO 100 feet. often measuring at the base
/ eight feet IN circumference. In the Adj
l rondacks the common height is eighty
/ feet. and the common diameter twenty
/ one inches. The cones hang on the ends
. 81 he h1P * do RI
Z brown color, tinged with grey, covered
( with roundish scales The best gum is
gathered from the sapwood of the white
spruce The small trees have thicker
sapwood in proportion 10 the size and age
/ than the larger ones, and from all the
( trees Of this species a resinOus gum
exudes. The gum will start where limb
has been broken of ur an axe inserted,
. or where a tree has been split in a storm
/ II is said that forest fires have been
/ started by the sun shining through
lump CT pure gum. which formed a lens
The rarest Of the spruce gums is the
| blister gum" which IS translucent and
/ turns blue after il has been chewed. The
pickers scrape, wash and brighten it, and
It sells at Sl.5o per pound There is
! coarser grade, which consists of the
| scrapings of the blister gum, and has
many particles Of spruce bark mixed with
/ it This is placed on trays OF cotton
/ cloths in a steam tank. and the heat and
steam draw out the good gum The latter
| is the ordinary spruce chewing-gum OF
commerce, and yields the first producer
about so cents per pound.
During the winter several grain-bags
are filled by the gum-ga hers and sent to
the markets. About three years ago the
harYestings of an aged gum -gatherer OF
/ the Cranberry Lake region were lost in
the bottom of the lake. He started out
! with twenty-three bags Of gum in his
! boat. and when about half way across the
lake the boat was split in two He had 10
swim for his life, but returned and spent
| several days dredging in vain Tor the
gum The water, the wOodsmen say, Will
preserve it for some discoyerer OF the
future
Years ago fayorite drink, known as
| sDruce beer. was made by boiling the
| young branches and cooperating the in
fusion but its place as beverage has
been so largely taken by other drinks
that one seldom sees or hears OF the Old
fashioned spruce beer. This decoction OF
the spruce twigs has medicinal properties.
,rd ic -EUoyy-1 auTidOTe for SCurEy.