213 



TAPPING OPERATIONS ON LA ZACUALPA. 



There has been a great difference of opinion as to the age at 

 which a Castilla tree can be tapped. We have, however, to go 

 more by size than by age. In one district the average tree may 

 reach a tapable size when 6 years old, in other places not before 

 10 years of age. A definite rule can therefore hardly be laid down. 

 The term of 6 years was tentatively put forth by most planters in 

 the early days of planting, that is 5 to 10 years ago. Now I 

 would say that the gathering of rubber from trees less than 8 years 

 old is not likely to be advantageous. On Zacualpa we tap in the 

 7th year all trees with a girth of 28 inches at three feet from the 

 base. Such a tree takes four incisions, nine inches long. In the 

 8th year we expect to tap all trees down to 25 inches, and this 

 minimum girth for a tapable tree will then be maintained. After 

 the 8th year the greater number are probably ready for tapping. 

 One incision drains a larger area on the stem than in Hevea. 



It is well known that rubber from three to four year old trees is 

 decidedly inferior. Consequently we cannot go by size alone 

 when we speak of young trees. The size has, however, more to 

 do with the productiveness than the age. But we must take the 

 " maturity" of the latex into consideration. 



In order to keep track of all work performed on the plantation 

 a series of observations are to be made by the assistants, and the 

 data thus obtained will serve as a guide in laying out our tapping- 

 plans. As I have already mentioned the plantation on La Zacu- 

 alpa is laid out in square blocks, All records in connection with 

 each separate block are filed on cards, such as are now common 

 in most American business houses. The blanks are printed ready 

 and the cards appear something like the following figure, when 

 completed with notes : — 



