The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-03-12
GUM GHENERS
NUMBER INTO
THE MILLIONS
Thirteen Million Pounds Of
-ChHIe imported into United
States in One Year.

How many people in the United
states chew, gum? No accurate gov
eminent statistics being available. n
conservative estimate NAV Dlace the
number at 100000, dividing them
INTO Two classes. the inveterate or
habltual chewers and the occasional
chewers. Under the latter class NAV
ne placed school children, who are
not permitted to chew during study
hours says the Philadelphia INQUIRER.
according TO the census of 1910
mere we're in the United States 81
'oO,599 persons between the ages nj G
ana ~ years in the forty-eight states
and the District OF Columbia. Of This
number 100000 attended school, at
toast occasionally. and may be classed
HS Potentially occasional chewers,
leaving balance of 1O,450,395 as no.
tentlalty tnveterate chewers of gum.
ali under the age Of 20 years. OF
course. all these may not have been
gum chewers; equally, Of course. in
HeteIAte gum chewers cannot be con-
Ahed 10 persons under the age Of 90
years. These figures may be taken.
however, to show that the estimate of
100000 chewers is very conserya-
tive.
The latest statistics published by the
department Of commerce show that
during the year 1913 the United States
imported 13,401.316 pounds of chfcle.
valued at $5.119,50O. Now the word
chlcIe" to most people in this coun-
Try might be Green, but 1t isn't Ac-
cording to the pamphlets on Mexico.
recently Issued by the Pan-American
Union at Washington, the word chicle
IL OF Aztec origin, and is the name
6Nen 10 the sap Of the sapota tree.
ootanlcally known as the sapota zap
oLl4Ia- It Is this sap which is the basis
OF practically all the chewing gum
used In the United States.
Inc Aztoca IN Mexico are said to
have been tho first gum chewers
known OH this, or, for that matter.
any other continent. The followers
OF Gorte2 reported that the Indians
cheWed gum to quench thirst and
relieve exhaustion. They obtained It
from the sapota tree by tapping, and
today the manner of gathering the
sap IS In close analogy to the process
OF gathering maple sugar in New Eng
land, The treo Is indigenous in the
northern countries of South America.
Central America. and especially in
Mexico, the last named furnishing
about sIx-serenths of the entire sup
ply consumed annually in the United
States.
The sapota tree is usually found in
groups, frequently grows to height
of forty to fifty feet. is generally very
straight and has long, clear length
which makes 1t most desirable for
timber. The wood is of reddish ma
hogany color. Is quite hard, heavy.
compact in texture and fine grained.
Door frames and stills OF this remark
able wood have boon unearthed in the
prehistoric ruins OF UXmal and found
To be in an excellent state OF preserVa-
ton. The wood is in demand by cab
met makers, who employ 1t in the
manufacture of high grade furniture
and household fittings.
The fruiti the sapodilla pear, was
once very popular in Latln-American
markets, but the constant demand for
the gum and the constant tapping of
the trees so reduced the size and the
quantity of the fruit that 1t has be-
come almost negligible product.
Throughout the rainy season, while
the sap Is up. the tapping Is done by
the 'chiclcros." whose only imple-
ments are a lnachete and piece of
rope. The rope Is fastened about the
waist and slipped around the tree.
leaving the chtclero's hands free to
make the V-shaped incisions spirally
round the tree. The sap runs along
the incIsions and is collected in cups
at the base. Itlooks like milk at first.
but soon turns to the consistency OF
trcacle. 1t Is collected and boiled in
a rather primitive manner in large
kettles and when 1t has reached the
proper consistency ii Is kneaded and
the surplus moisture expressed. 1t
is then nodded into large loaves and
is ready for shipment. When 1t reaches
the factories in tho United States 1t
Is mixed and boiled in large copper
kettles to a required consistency, and
flavorlng extracts, such Us vanilla,
peppermint br wintergreen are added
with the required amount Of sugar.
TheSavailable waterpower of the