August 1, 1911.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



407 



WHY NOT TAP FOR 

 CAUCHO? 



""PHE sentiment in tlu- rubber 

 ■^ producing regions of Brazil 

 today is more favorable than ever 

 before toward planting, coloniza- 

 tion, or any kind of procedure that 

 shall assure continued supremacy 

 in crude rubber. Perliaps, there- 

 fore, it would be wise to start with 

 caucho. There are great areas in 

 which the Castilloo Ulei grows that 

 are still untouched. The present 

 practice of cutting the tree down 

 to get tlie rubber does not seem 

 necessary, no matter what the 

 claims of the gatherers may be. 

 According to their tales, new 

 trees grow from the stumps and 

 are ready for cutting in seven 

 years. Suppose that be true ( al- 

 though seventeen years would 

 seem more reasonable), would 

 that be as good as an annual tap- 

 ping? On the other hand, if 

 cutting the tree down is better 

 policy, why should not planted 

 Castilloas be cut down every few 

 years and their rubber extracted all 

 at once. 



It is wholly within the bounds of reason that a caucho expe- a year and do it indefinitely. If this be true it would mean 

 dition. outtitted with proper tapping tools, could get as much seven times as much caucho. It is worth considering and ex- 

 rubber and repeat the process on the same trees, at least once perimenting with. 



T.xpi'iNX B.^sE OF C.\ucHO Tree Before Felling. 

 (Cotyrightcd by Algot Lange.) 



Caucho Tree Felled for Through Bleeding. 



(Copyrighted by Algot Lange.) 



