188 



"In some of the great forests of this territory, considerable 

 numbers of trees of the Funtumia elastica, or ' Lagos Silk Rubber' 

 are found, and concessions for the sole right of tapping these 

 trees are held by various companies. While visiting the Budonga 

 Forest lately, I had an opportunity of observing the manner in 

 which the crude latex is treated. The milk is obtained by making 

 small 'herring-bone' incisions in one side of the trunks of the 

 trees. These incisions are made with a V-shaped tapping tool, and 

 reach from the base of the tree up to a height of 40 or 50 feet. 

 Funtumia, growing in a forest in its natural condition, has a 

 slender straight stem of great height, and branches only at the 

 top. The trees are tapped every three months, so that, in each 

 year, every side of the trunk has been made to yield its milk. 

 The average yield of latex, at each tapping, is about 1 quart from 

 each tree, and each stem may be expected to give about 1 lb. of 

 pure rubber per annum. 



" The milk is brought at once to the factory and is allowed to 

 stand for a couple of days in large earthenware pots. It is then 

 strained through pieces of red cotton, known as < Turkey red,' for 

 the removal of impurities. An equal quantity of water is added 

 to the latex, and about a pint of the mixture is placed at a time in a 

 small earthenware vessel. This small pot is then placed in a larger 

 vessel containing water maintained at a temperature just below 

 boiling point, after the fashion of a < bain-marie.' Carbonate of 

 potash is added in the proportion of 1 per cent, to the latex and 

 water, and the mixture is stirred with a wooden spoon until it 

 coagulates. This usually occurs after three or four minutes. In 

 the factory which I inspected there was a rough and ready « range ' 

 of six small fires, so that half a dozen lots of latex could be dealt 

 with simultaneously. Each pot, however, required the attention 

 of one man. The carbonate of potash appears to prevent the 

 rubber from turning to a dark colour. As soon as the latex has 

 coagulated, the « dollop ' of rubber is taken out of the pot and 

 placed under a press, so that all the moisture may be extracted 

 trom it. The press is very much like the sort used for taking 

 copies of letters in offices, and being supplied with four or five 

 boards can deal with several cakes of rubber at a time. The one 

 1 saw was worked by two men, and the pressure exerted was so 

 great that each clot of rubber was quickly transformed into a very 

 thin ■ pancake ' of creamy-white colour, each bearing the initials 

 or brand of the company. This process very effectually extracts 

 not only all the water but also nearly all the resin in the rubber, 

 ine pancakes, after passing through the press, are thoroughly 

 washed in -water and placed to dry in the shade, on shelves made 

 ot reeds. The rubber gradually assumes a dark amber colour, but 

 it is almost perfectly clean and transparent. In a few days it is 

 fit for transport. I have much pleasure in sending you a sample 

 of the rubber thus prepared, and would ask you, after inspec- 

 tion to send it to the Curator of the Botanic Station at 

 Dominica. 



" A considerable quantity of Funtumia has been planted in the 



Z«l iT f • mg the last two or three y ears a nd these notes 

 S3™ 6 °/*L 5** *° the P lantere ther e. I may add that the 

 t !! a °*t^ funtumia, obtained by the process above described, 

 is now selling in London at 5s. ft*, per lb., a price almost equalling 



