From the previous page: A Tape Tree on this list is a system utilized to distribute hard to get music of Jewel (or other artists, as in the Future Folklore series), be it live recordings or cuts from promotional releases and/or interviews. The basic structure for a tape tree that it is a co-operative effort among many subscribers to this list. It is to spread the music of Jewel, at no cost, other than to supply your own blank tapes and pay for the return postage and mailer. It is done in the spirit that if you can, just maybe you can return the favor someday. If not, so be it.

Thus far, all trees on this list have been analog cassettes, although DAT trading does exist between members of some "audience tapes".

The basic "tree" will start with one or more "seeds" who have a master copy of the tape to be treed. These seeds will each make copies for the "branches", who supply their own tapes, return postage & a return mailer. The branches are recruited by the tree administrator via a post to the list.

After the branches are nearly set up, the administrator will then post to the list for "leaves". The leaves then Email the administrator with the requested information, and they are then assigned to a branch. The leaves then send blank tapes, plus return postage to the assigned branch, who then makes copies for the leaves. That's the basics. Each tree as it's own peculiarities dependant upon the tape to be treed, the person running the tree and or the size of the tree. (number of leaves)

At times, when the potential demand for a to be treed tape is unknown, the administrator will post for leaves FIRST, but also requests that of those who may be interested in being a branch, that they indicate so and supply the necessary information. That way, the administrator knows right off the bat what the demand is and can choose the quantity of branches needed accordingly.