trees are tapped by two upward cuts with a short ma- 
chete or a narrow-bladed hatchet (Figure 2 F). A tin 
cup is slipped under a slit in the bark directly below the 
vertex of the cuts (Plate XLI, A). The tapper begins 
each Monday inserting one to eight cups about the cir- 
cumference of each tree. On ‘Tuesday he taps about six 
inches below the previous cuts and affixes the same cup 
with its now coagulated rubber into a slit below the sec- 
ond tapping. This is continued until Saturday when the 
lumps of rubber coagulated during the week are collected 
and spread out to dry (Plate X LI, B). These lumps are 
often cut into smaller pieces to speed drying or are sold 
at a low price (while still fresh) to a merchant who dries 
the rubber to secure a higher price. Even though the 
latex flow increases when the rains begin, tapping is dis- 
continued, partly because cups frequently fill with rain 
water before the latex coagulates, but mainly because 
farming is done at this time. 
In the damp mountains of Baturité and Maranguape 
where the latex flow is greater, Manihot Glaziovit may 
be tapped by cutting with a jebong knife in a manner 
(Figure 2 F) similar to that used for Hevea. A sharp 
knife must be used and care taken to avoid injuring the 
cambium. This method was introduced on two small 
properties and in both cases the yield was greater per 
man-day, much greater per unit of trees, and, when some 
care was used in tapping, the trees were scarcely dam- 
aged. ‘The method was abandoned after a few weeks, 
however, for the workers did not sharpen their knives 
and would not use care to avoid cutting the cambium, 
nor would they utilize the bark to greatest advantage. 
The narrow-bladed hatchet which is used to prune coffee 
trees in the mountains cuts a very small gash deep into 
the wood and severs only a few latex vessels in the bark. 
The short machete used on the mountain slopes and 
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