Plantation Crops

Marking

Marking

• Panels are marked on the trees selected for tapping, using a template and marking knife, parallel to the contour terrace or planting line to facilitate efficient tapping operation. The template is made of a strip of flexible metal, preferably GI sheet (of low carbon content). The width of template will depend on tapping frequency. i.e. under d/2 tapping 23 cm, d/3 - 17 cm d/4 - 15 cm and d/7 - 13 cm.
• Separate templates are required for seedlings and buddings and should be made in such a way that when used to mark, the slope of the cut should be 250 for seedlings and 300 for buddings. After deciding the position of the panel, a vertical line, called front channel line, is drawn. On this line, the opening height is marked.
• Since half spiral tapping is the standard, the half circumference of the tree at the opening height is determined using a measuring tape or string and marked on the back. Another vertical line, called back channel line, is marked on the half spiral point above the opening height. With the aid of the template placed between these two lines, at the opening height, ensuring a high left to low right, the line for tapping cut and a few guidelines are marked through the grooves.
• The vertical front end of the template should be kept on the front channel of the tree, parallel to it and the free end of the template is wound on the trunk towards the left side. After marking the guidelines, spout and cup hanger are fixed. The marking should be repeated annually.

Slope and Direction of Tapping Cut

• The tapping cut of the budded trees should have a slope of about 300 to the horizontal. For seedling trees the cuts need to have a slope of only about 250, since the bark is fairly thick.
• A very steep cut leads to wastage of bark when tapping reaches the base of the tree and too flat a cut leads to overflow of latex.
• The slope should be marked, preferably annually, using appropriate template. The latex vessels in the bark run at an angle of 3-50 to the right and therefore a cut from high left to low right will open greater number of latex vessels.