212 THE RUBBER TREE BOOK 



passed once only either through a diamond pattern creper 

 or, preferably, if a well-defined pattern is desired, through a 

 sheeter with diamond pattern rollers, as there is less friction on 

 this mill. 



It has become a common practice to have on this last 

 sheeter the name of the estate countersunk on the rollers. Only 

 first-grade sheets are usually passed through these rollers, lower 

 qualities being finished on other mills. This is a course to be 

 commended and one which will doubtless become general. 



When passing the sheets through the sheeter for the last 

 time, the water running from the pipes overhead should be 

 turned off so that the sheets may be as free as possible from 

 extra moisture before being sent to the drying-house or smoking 

 shed. 



A point to be borne in mind is that when smoked sheet is 

 turned out instead of pale crepe, a very much larger proportion 

 of the sheets can be marketed as first quality. On many 

 estates the colour and the purity of the water varies very much 

 at different seasons of the year. From this and other causes 

 there is always a large proportion of the crepe-rubber more or 

 less discoloured, and this fetches a lower price than the first 

 quality. In the case of smoked sheet such slight discolourings 

 are not observable. This fact itself, apart altogether from the 

 extra penny per pound smoked sheet commands over pale 

 crepe, would justify preference being given to the manufacture 

 of smoked sheet. 



Smoke-dried sheets vary a good deal in quality. The 

 degree of heating is very difficult to regulate and this may be 

 one of the reasons. Another may be the variety of the fuel and 

 density of the smoke employed. Nevertheless it is generally 

 found that, apart from colour, so far as the main tests of quality 

 are concerned, viz., resiliency, resistance to stretching and 

 recovery, smoked rubber, if tested, will obtain a markedly 

 higher percentage of points than ordinary crpe. 



A wooden house is found to be best for smoking purposes. 

 Houses made of galvanized iron or having stone walls do not suit 

 so well, as the surfaces become covered with deposits of pitch, 

 while, when the building is of timber, the timber, although it 

 turns black, seems to absorb the tar out of the smoke. These 

 wooden houses have attap ceilings, and the small crevices in the 



