236 



to 2j OZ. dry rubber at one tapping. One tree was tapped four 

 times at a week's interval and gave in all gl oz. dry rubber :- 

 No. I tapping gave 3 oz. dry rubber 



2h " 



In May 1903, thirty trees, then twelve to thirteen years old, were 

 tapped every second day for twelve days. A row of cups was 

 placed round each tree, commencing 6 feet up on the first day, 

 and oblique cuts were made with the chisel as high as could be 

 reached from the ground. At the second tapping the cups were 

 placed 5 feet up and so on, a foot lower each time. The total 

 amount of rubber obtained in the six tappings was 16 lb. 10 oz., 

 an average of nearly 9 oz. per tree : — ■ 



No. I tapping averaged per tree 2^ oz. dry rubber 



This method of tapping has been discontinued, as it was found 

 that the process of putting on the cups at various heights the same 

 day was both quicker and less expensive in the end, while the 

 total yield was equally good. 



These thirty trees were tapped again twice in February accord- 

 ing to the latter method, the average yield being then 5 oz. making 

 the total yield per tree in the eight to nine months 14 oz. 



Tapping was carried on in February 1904 with the following 

 results : — 



These fifty trees gave an average yield of just under | lb. of dry 

 rubber in the two tappings. 



The yield of latex varies greatly in trees of the same size and 

 age. Two trees out of these fifty gave 7| to 8| cups of latex at 

 each tapping, the one tree yielding I lb. 10 oz. of dry rubber in the 

 two tappings, the other I lb. 9 oz. Other trees tapped in the 

 same month gave I lb. in the two tappings and another gave | lb. 

 in one tapping. Trees of the same age and size gave less than 

 half these amounts. Why this should be I cannot say, and I 

 believe no explanation has yet been given to account for the dif- 

 ference in the yield of latex. As far as my own observation goes, 

 trees in the open, or only partially shaded, appear to be better 

 yielders, as a rule, than those in denser shade. 



