PACKING AND PACKING-CASES 217 



the cases are sometimes burst open, and complaints on this 

 score, especially from America, where railroad handling is 

 rough, have been reaching us. It is a great advantage when 

 cases are of a regular fixed weight which can be depended upon. 

 The cases should always be filled quite full up. Rubber sheets 

 vary so much in thickness that it is useless trying to arrive at 

 even weights to fill the case. 



During the voyage home there is always some loss of weight 

 in the rubber. This may vary from i per cent, to 2 per cent., 

 or even more on occasion, according to the original freedom 

 from moisture of the rubber when packed, and sometimes 

 according to what position in the hold of the ship the rubber 

 happened to be placed in. 



So far as is possible only one grade of rubber should be 

 packed in each case. If a case cannot be filled up with one grade 

 it is better to keep the lot over till the next shipment. Small 

 lots are at no time in favour with brokers or purchasers. 



All spotted or tacky rubber should be kept apart and never 

 put into a case with good-quality rubber or it will bring 

 down the price of the whole lot. This rule should be always 

 strictly insisted upon. It should always be the aim of every 

 estate manager to get top prices for his first-grade rubber and 

 never to be content till he get these. To establish a good 

 reputation for an estate mark is a great achievement, and 

 few things will do more to hinder this than putting in a few 

 indifferent sheets in a consignment of first-grade. 



The estate mark, the weight of the case and the weight of 

 the rubber enclosed, as well as the quality, ought to be sten- 

 cilled on the lid of the case in large, plain letters and figures. 

 A floating policy of insurance should be taken out, which would 

 cover all shipments as they go forward. This is usually 

 attended to by boards at home, but there are still some few 

 private owners remaining, and these must necessarily attend to 

 this matter themselves. 



