Page 9 - August 2016 Rolling Stone

August, 2016 Page 9
This tree also supplies sap to make rubber, but other components must be added, such as sulfur and some oth- er ingredients that I cannot pronounce. Trees have so many uses for man today and even for animals. There are many useful and beautiful trees found in the rain forests of our planet and if harvested with wisdom they will con- tinue to flourish. Trees do not have to be killed and cut down to be useful, although I do understand some must be harvested in this way, but please be thoughtful.
Mankind just needs to be careful when making deci- sions and not cut too many, too quickly. Necessity should be the motivating force, not greed. There are other trees that provide sap for gum, and some are grown in the Unit- ed States. These are actually found on plantations and are known as the long-leaf pine and the slash pine. If you want something interesting to read sometime, look up how to make gum. Trees are important for so many things necessary for life and I for one will remember to thank our creator for bringing these majestic giants into existence. Isaiah 55:12, “...and the trees of the field will all clap their hands.”
Have a tree-if-ic day and look often to the tree!
Meet the “gum” tree!
Tree Tales by Vonnie Maple
There are times I just love to pop a stick of gum into my mouth, enjoying the different fragrances and flavors, nev- er giving a second thought to where it comes from. Have you ever wondered about gum? There is an actual tree that is used to make the many different types of gum we chew today. Meet the chicle tree!
The chicle tree is native to South America and the West Indies, some countries are Guatemala and Mexico. The sap from the tree is extracted and used for different prod- ucts. At one time it was harvested by hand by a group of tree climbers called chicleros. For a simple explanation, it would have to be combined with the latex found in the je- lutong tree. I won’t go into the complicated process of how gum is made, but it seems some gum companies to- day still use the chicle tree for some of their gum. Most have gone to a synthetic base now, because it holds the flavor longer and doesn’t turn bitter.