What
is claimed is:
1.
A method of producing agarwood comprising
(a)
forming an artificial wound into the xylem in an Aquilaria or
Gonystylus tree, and
(b)
providing a means for aerating the wound.
2.
The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating steps a
and/or b.
3.
The method of claim 2, wherein steps a and/or b are repeated
after a discolored area has begun forming in the free.
4.
The method of claim 3, wherein the repeated wounding is in the
discolored area.
5.
The method of claim 1, wherein the wound is formed by cutting,
drilling, or chopping or by inserting a nail.
6.
The method of claim 1, wherein the wound is formed to reach
the xylem.
7.
The method of claim 1, wherein the wound is formed to a depth
of at least about 1 to 10 cm into the xylem.
8.
The method of claim 1, wherein the wound is formed to a depth
of about 4-6 cm.
9.
The method of claim 1, wherein a series of closely spaced wounds
are made in the tree.
10.
The method of claim 9, wherein the series of wounds are positioned
in a spiral up the tree.
11.
The method of claim 9, wherein 30-100 wounds are made.
12.
The method of claim 9, wherein the series of wounds are positioned
at an interval of about 5 cm apart.
13.
The method of claim 1, wherein the aeration means is an aeration
device inserted into the wound.
14.
The method of claim 13, wherein the aeration device is a nail,
tube or pipe inserted into the wound.
15.
The method of claim 13, wherein the aeration device comprises
aeration holes.
16.
The method of claim 13, wherein the aeration device comprises
an exterior surface having grooves.
17.
The method of claim 13, wherein the aeration device is plastic,
bamboo, wood or other organic material, or metal.
18.
The method of claim 13, wherein the aeration device is about
2 cm in diameter.
19.
The method of claim 13, wherein the aeration device is made
of iron.
20.
The method of claim 13, wherein the aeration device extends
out from the exterior of the tree.
21.
The method of claim 20, wherein the aeration device extends
out from 2 to 15 cm from the exterior of the free.
22.
The method of claim 1, wherein the aeration means is a periodic
re-wounding of the wound.
23.
The method of claim 22, wherein the aeration means is a monthly
re-wounding of the wound.
24.
The method of claim 1, wherein the means for aerating the wound
comprises scribing a patch of cambium around the wound one or
more times over the life span of the tree.
25.
The method of claim 1, the method further comprising removing
a region of cambium adjoining the wound.
26.
The method of claim 1, the method further comprising applying
a resin-inducing agent to cells surrounding the wound.
27.
The method of claim 26, wherein the agent stimulates resin production.
28.
The method of claim 26, wherein the agent kills live parenchyma
cells around the wounded region of the xylem.
29.
The method of claim 26, wherein the resin-inducing agent is
a chemical agent or an organism.
30.
The method of claim 26, wherein the organism is a microbe or
insect.
31.
The method of claim 29, wherein the chemical agent kills cells
locally.
32.
The method of claim 30, wherein the chemical agent is sodium
bisulfite, NaCl, ferric chloride, ferrous chloride, chitin,
formic acid, cellobiose, salicyclic acid, iron powder, or yeast
extract.
33.
The method of claim 29, wherein the chemical agent is 1:1:3
sodium bisulfite, Difco yeast extract and iron powder.
34.
The method of claim 26, wherein the microbe is fungus.
35.
The method of claim 34, wherein the fungus is Deuteromyota sp.,
Ascomycota sp., Basidiomycota sp.
36.
The method of claim 1, wherein the tree is less than 100 years
old.
37.
The method of claim 36, wherein the tree is about 2-80 years
old.
38.
The method of claim 36, wherein the tree is about 3-20 years
old.
39.
The method of claim 36, wherein the tree is about 3-12 years
old.
40.
The method of claim 36, wherein the tree is tree not growing
naturally in an old growth forest.
41.
The method of claim 36, wherein the tree is of the species Aquilaria
malaccensis, A. agallocha, A. baillonii, A. crassna, A. hirta,
A. rostrata, A. beccariana, A. cummingiana, A. filaria, A. khasiana,
A. microcarpa, A. grandiflora, A. chinesis or A. sinensis, A.
borneensis, and A. bancana, or Gonystylus bancanus.
