I 3 6 



It follows that in order to reduce the amount of variation 

 in rubber from different estates and districts combined efforts 

 must be made to arrive at the best system of tapping and 

 provide that this system shall be generally adopted. Ceylon 

 has always set a notable example in the very far-sighted way in 

 which her planters have made a practice of comparing notes 

 one with another and thus enabling what has been found to be 

 the best method to be generally employed, and it would be of 

 great advantage if this principle could be followed more 

 thoroughly throughout the East. 



It appears to have been found that trees have often in the 

 past been treated with too much severity; the incisions made 

 should be as few in number and as simple in character as 

 possible, in order to -economize bark and labour. 



Having standardized the method of producing the latex, the 

 next step is surely to reduce the milk thus collected to a 

 standard bulk. A great advance has been made in this 

 direction lately by the introduction by the chemists acting for 

 the Malaya and Ceylon Research Funds of an appliance for 

 quickly ascertaining the proportion of rubber in any latex. It 

 should now, therefore, be a simple matter for every factory, 

 however small, to ensure that the latex when collected shall 

 be reduced to a pre-determined standard strength before 

 coagulation is allowed. Then it has always been impressed 

 upon planters that only the minimum amount of acid neces- 

 sary to promote coagulation must be used. Strict steps must 

 be enforced to ensure that this is not exceeded. 



The fresh coagulum (i.e., the coagulated rubber before the 

 total amount of contraction has taken place) is naturally more 

 liable to damage through rough handling than mature, cured 

 rubber, and it is essential that only so much working in the 

 machine shall be permitted as will effectually reduce the rubber 

 into a form suitable for drying and packing. 



Experiments which have been made with thick sheets put 

 once through a hand mangle with only slight pressure go to 

 emphasize the advantage of avoiding harsh treatment of the 

 coagulum in the early stages of preparation. 



The two varieties on which plantation rubber has built up 

 its already wonderful reputation are smoked sheet and crepe. 

 The consumer has now to a large extent familiarized himself 

 with these, and his objections to them and criticism of them 

 have dwindled one by one until very few remain, and he must 

 have either or both of these grades. 



It is, of course, most necessary that every possible avenue of 

 experiment should be followed by which any improvement can 

 be effected in the nature of the rubber, but one cannot help 

 feeling that, after working at crepe and sheet all these years 



