Charles Smith, age 7, of St. Louis, Mo., for his question:

How do they make chewing gum?

The main ingredient is gummy sap that comes from a chicle tree. Several different chicle trees grow in the steamy forests down in Central and South America. People cut slits in the bark of these trees and set cups to collect the milky sap as it trickles forth. The sap is boiled, purified and molded into solid blocks. This rubbery chicle is mixed with sugary syrups, delicious flavorings and other ingredients. Then it is rolled    flat, sliced and neatly wrapped. At last, the packages of chewing gum are ready to be sent to the market.