237 



In comparing this tapping with that of 1899, it appears that, at 

 nine years old, a tree on an average yields about one-half of what 

 a tree thirteen to fourteen years old does. 



The results of the different tappings have led me to conclude 

 that from | lb. to I ft. of rubber per annum may be safely reckoned 

 on, as the average yield of a tree thirteen to fourteen years old. 



It is intended at the next tapping to use a ladder, and to tap as 

 far as possible up the stem. No doubt the total yield of rubber 

 would then be greater. It is also intended to tap a few trees con- 

 tinuously for twelve to fourteen days, or every second day for a 

 month although it is very doubtful if the yield of latex would be 

 much increased by so doing, or that the extra yield so obtained 

 would compensate for the greater damage to the tree. In this 

 respect the Castilloa appears to differ from the Para, and the ex- 

 periments to be tried in 1905 will probably do something towards 

 settling the point. 



The cost of collecting was 8d. to Qd. per lb., but this cost would 

 be reduced when tapping is carried on regularly and on a larger 

 scale. The rubber extracted from the nine-year old trees in 1899 

 to 1900 was valued at 3s. 9d. per lb., a good price at the time. 



MODE OF CLEANING. 

 The rubber extracted in 1899-1900 was mixed with water and 

 put through a cream separator. The result was good, clean, pale 

 rubber, but the difficulty in extracting the rubber from the bowl 

 rendered this process impracticable on a large scale with the 

 machine in use. Later on, the latex was mixed with five times its 

 volume of water, strained and skimmed after settling. This is a 

 long process, as, after the first washing or two, the rubber takes 

 two or three days to coagulate. The rubber, when dry, is very dark. 

 The colour of the dry rubber, however, according to the most 

 recent information, does not affect the price. 



CASTILLOA AS SHADE FOR CACAO. 

 There is little doubt that the return per acre would be greater 

 from a plantation of cacao and Castilloa than from cacao shaded 

 by Bois Immortel. On Richmond estate there is an acre of cacao 

 twelve and a half years old, planted at 12 feet by 12 feet, shaded 

 by Castilloa and Bois Immortel. The rubbers are at 24 feet by 24 

 feet. The Immortel are being gradually killed, many of them 

 being already dead. The cacao crop for 1903-4 from this field was 

 3 bags. This would give a return per acre of from £22 lOs. to 

 £25 3s., thus : — 



3 bags cacao at £4 ... £l2 



75 rubber trees fibs, each at 3s. 6d. per lb ID 



£22 



If the average yield were lib. per tree, this would give a return 

 of £25 3s. per acre. 



The return from other cacao fields of the same age, planted on 

 similar soil and shaded by Bois Immortel, was from 3| to 4^ bags 



