26o 



the ten cups on a tree. Mr. Machado also tapped a further lot of ten 

 trees six times commencing May 29th. (I.e., p. 266) by M. Bonnechaux's- 

 method. In the Straits Times of April l6th, 1903, the cuts are said 

 to have been ij^ inches long by % inch wide, and in the Straits EchOr 

 (reproduced in the Tropical Agriculturist of September 1st, 1903, 

 p. 154) it is said that the cuts made were two inches long. 



Next, commencing on July 8th. 5 large trees were tapped fifteen 

 times in nineteen days by herring-bones, a semicircular chisel being 

 used for the reopening of the wounds. The reader will note the 

 change in the shape of the chisel used: and it is interesting to record 

 that on the Bukit Lintang Estate in Malacca, tapping in 1904 was 

 done by means of a similar implement (vide Tropical Agriculturist for 

 October 1st., 1904, p. 240). 



At the end of July, 1903, Mr. Machado left, and Mr. C. Boden 

 Kloss came. Tapping was continued and Mr. Kloss informs the 

 writer that he corroborated Mr. Machado's results. 



With Mr. Kloss' departure ended the second period* of tapping 

 in the Singapore gardens. 



During this short period it was realised that the trees are 

 resistant enough for tapping much more prolonged than anything 

 done previously, if only the tapping be wisely done. Machado had 

 bled trees on every other day for six months (vide Straits 

 Times of April 16, 1903, reprinted in the Tropical Agriculturist 

 of June 1st, 1913, p. 839) ; and it was written " From 100 trees 

 averaging from 12 to 15 years of age, and planted much too closely 

 to admit of their being properly developed, Mr. Machado drew on an 

 average about three pounds of dried rubber daily and he expects the 

 supply to be maintained for six months working half the trees each 

 day during that period. Then these trees will be given a rest of six: 

 months." Much in contrast with Machado's results is a statement 

 made in Teysmannia, 1903, No. 8, to the effect that it had been 

 possible at Soebang in Java to reopen half herring-bone cuts on 

 alternate days only ten times and at Buitenzorg only fifteen times. 



Four government trees in Malacca, fourteen years old, were tapp- 

 ed by herring-bones in 1903 by Mr. Gagliardi on eight days, and then 

 by two herring-bones on fourteen days {Agricultural Bulletin of the 

 Straits and F.M.S., ii., 1903, p. 191). 



With the coming of Mr. R. Derry to Singapore in the com- 

 mencement of 1904 fuller records of tapping in the Botanic Gardens 



* In summary it may be stated thai to this dale the Garden's trees had been tapped thus :— 

 Tappings by Mr. Ridley, — number of trees unrecorded I88Q-IQ03- 

 Tappings by Mr. Bonnechaux— 150 trees for a few days. 

 Tappings by Mr. Machado— 215 trees, lOO having been virgin. 

 Tappings by .Mr. Boden Kloss,— a continuation of the last. 

 Greatest number of trees tapped as indicated by these records 250, being 150 by M. Bonne- 

 chaux and 100 virgin trees by Mr. Machado. How many over and above this figure had been 

 tapped it is impossible to state, but it is believed that the number was small. 



