182 



Thus W the width of the first cut depends upon the tool used 

 and the skill of the user, similarly for the value of to. If for instance 

 w could be made l/lo instead of 1 /< s inch it would reduce the spar.' 

 between the side anus of the herring hone from 6 inches to 3^ 

 assuming the value for / to he constant. Whether this would lie too 

 close lor practical work, whether the areas drained by the separate 

 cuts would seriously overlap is not known, on this point experiments 

 are needed, because it is certain that before long a special tool to cut 

 a thin shaving not more than 1/1<» inch will be available. 



Then the value of /. the times of reopening, is at present not 

 fixed. Various values ranging from 10 to 25 have been assigned as 

 suitable. Experimental results are here needed, and probably each 

 estate will eventually have a special value for this quantity. For the 

 moment it can be safely assumed that 15 is not too high a value. 



That the maximum value should be ascertained and always used 

 is clear from the expression given for the percentage of trees tapped 

 daily where it is seen that the percentage increases as t increases, this 

 put into practical form means that more trees would be always 

 available for tapping and the returns from the estate would be corres- 

 pondingly greater. The most pressing need at present is that the 

 limiting values for this quantity and for the necessary period of rest 

 T be determined experimentally, until that be done the probable 

 returns to be expected from estates can only be guessed at. and there 

 is and can be no guarantee that the crop is not being partially wasted 

 through neglect of harvesting it completely. 



There are numerous details such as the shape of the cross section 

 ot the cuts, the collection of scrap, the preliminary addition of pre- 

 servative to the cups, the cutting tool to be used, which I have pur- 

 posely left untouched fearing that their introduction would tend to 

 obscure the two main issues of the selection of the type of cut to be 

 adopted and the way in which the adoption can be carried out 

 systematically. 



These details are for the field rather than the study, and if con- 

 sidered should be the subject of a special communication. — Agricul- 

 tural Bulletin. Straits Settlement. 



P. J. BURGESS. 



R. C. 1770/04. 



Rksident Councillor's Office, 



Malacca, 22nd October, 1904.. 



Sir, 



You may like to notice in the next Agricultural Bulletin the. 

 enclosed list of prices received for a parcel of Para rubber prepared in 

 the Government Gardens at Bukit Sebukor in Malacca under the 

 supervision of Mr. F. I'.. Gaguardi, then an Officer of the Malacca 

 Fmest Department. 



2. The rubber was dried without the addition of any acid 

 whatsoever. 



I have, &c, 



R. N. BLAND, 



The Editor Acting Resident Councillor. 



Agricultural Bulletin, 

 Singapore. 



