78 BRITISH HONDURAS. 



the remaining water is then to be drawn off. After this, add to 

 every 100 pounds of the now purified rubber milk a pint bottle 

 full of a solution containing one ounce of alum dissolved in hot 

 water. 



"The new rubber must be well stirred; and as fast as 

 coagulated lumps appear, they are to be carefully removed from 

 the liquid and shaped into a ball ; this is to be then put in a 

 press and all the remaining water squeezed out of it. After 

 being removed from the press the rubber is to be placed in the 

 shade, to await its turn for being packed up, to be sent to a 

 foreign market." 



A large tree of Castilloa, say 2 feet in diameter, is said to 

 yield eight gallons of milk when first cut. Each gallon of milk, 

 in the proper season, will make about two pounds of rubber. 

 Hence a tree of this size will give a return of sixteen pounds of 

 rubber, of the value of $10. 



In British Honduras, the rubber-gatherers are supposed to 

 require a license before they can tap trees on Government 

 lands; but, practically, there are no restrictions placed upon 

 them, and trees of all ages and sizes are ruthlessly bled, many 

 of which, I fear, never recover. While in the colony I was 

 fortunate enough to meet with an intelligent rubber-gatherer, 

 on Mullin's Kiver, with whom I spent some time, making obser- 

 vations on the habitats and characteristic of the trees, as well 

 as the methods pursued in tapping them. A fine piece of 

 rubber, prepared by this man with the use of the juice of the 

 Calonictyon, was brought away with me, and is now deposited 

 in the museum of the Eoyal Gardens, Kew. 



Having thus described the Castilloa rubber-tree and its use, 

 I would now mention that this tree, which grows very fast, and 

 gives a safe and sure return, is capable of being rendered of the 

 greatest value to planters, not only in this colony, but every- 



