The Washington herald., 1916-02-13

=
available, q conservative esti-
mate may place the number at 10000
900, dividing them into two classes, the
tnveterate or hsbitusl chewers and the
occasional chevers. Under the latter
class may be placed school children. Who
are not permitted TO chew during study
hours.
According to the census Of 1910. there
were in the United States 27,75O,59e
persons between the ages OF six and
twenty years the forty-eight states
and the Distric Of Columbia or this
number 17.30O.2O4 attended school. al
least occasionally. and may be classed as
potentially occasional chewers leaving a
balance Of lO.45O.395 as potentially in
veterate CheWers OF gum. all under the
age Of twenty wears. OF course. all these
may not have been gum Chewers. equal
ly. Of course. inveterate gum chewers
cannot be confined to persons under the
age Of twenty years These figures may
be taken. however. to show that the esti-
mate OF 10000 900 Chewers is very con-
servative.
The latest statistics published ny the
department Of commerce show that dur
ing the calendar. year 1918 the United
States imported l3.401.2l6 pounds OF
chicle. valued at S5.119.5OO Now the
country might be Greek. but II isn't
According to the pamphlets on Mexico,
recently issued by the Pan-American
Union at Washington, D. c, the word
"chiCle" is Of Aztec origin, and is the
name given to the sap OF the sspote tree,
botaLically known as the sapota zapotiIla
1t is this sap which is the basis OF prac-
tiCally all the chewing gum used in the
United States.
Tho Aztece n NevicO are Ssl5 70 b,vo
been the first gum Chewers known on
this. or for that matter. any other. con-
tinent The followers Of COrtez reported
that the Indians Chewed a gum 10 QuenCh
thirst and relieve exhaustion. They OBJ
tanned it from the sapOte tree by tap
ping and today the manner Of gathering
the sap is in close analogy to the process
Of gathering maple sugar in New Eng
land. The tree is INDIGENOUS in the
northern countries Of South America,
Central America. and especially in Mex
iCO, the last named furnishing about six
sevenths Of the entire supply consumed
annually in the United States.
The sapOte tree is usually found in
groups. frequently grows to a height Of
forty to fifty feet, is generally very
straight. and has long. clear length
which makes It most desirable for tim
Der. The wood is OF a reddish mahogany
y
texture and fine grained. Door frames
and sills OF this remarkable wood have
been unearthed in the prehistoric ruins
Of UXmal and found TO be in an excellent
state OF preservation. The wood is in
demand by cabinet makers, who employ
II In the manufacture OF high grade fur
niture and household fittings.
The fruit, the sapodilla pear, was once
very popular in Latin American markets,
but the constant demand for the gum
and the constant tapping so reduced the
size and quantity OF the fruit that II has
become almost a negligible product.
Throughout the rainy season, while
the sap is up, the tapping is done by the
"chicleros," whose only implements are
a machete and a piece Of rope. The rope
is fastened about the waist and slipped
around the tree leaving the chiClerO' s
hands free to make the V-shaped Incl
sions spirally around the tree. The sap
runs along the inCsiOns and is collected
in CUPS at the base II looks like milk
at first, but soon turns to the consistency
Of treacle Ii is collected and boiled in
a rather primitive manner in large ket-
ties, and when it has reached the proper
consistency it is kneaded and the surplus
moisture expressed. 1t is then nodded
into large lOaveS and is ready for ship
ment When II reaches the factories in
the United States il is mixed and boiled
in large copper kettles to a required con-
sistency, favoring extracts. such az
vanilla, peppermint or wintPrgrecn arr
added with the required amount OF sugar