TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. 



The great importance which the Rubber Planting Industry 

 in the East has attained during the past few years must be my 

 excuse for offering to my fellow planters an English translation of 

 Professor Fitting's treatise on Rubber Tapping Methods, which 

 appeared as a supplement in this year's February number of the 

 " Tropenpflanzer." 



Professor Fitting is one of Germany's first physiological 

 botanists and I feel sure that his views will be of interest to and 

 carry weight with those engaged in producing rubber in Ceylon 

 and Malaya. 



I hope that his advice will be followed, and that serious 

 endeavours will be made to find out by further research and 

 experiments on a larger scale the very best method for harvesting 

 rubber. 



I think I have succeeded in giving the exact sense of 

 Professor Fitting's very instructive treatise, but it is not possible 

 to translate a German scientific work literally without rendering 

 the translation heavy and un-English, though I have endeavoured 

 to adhere as closely as possible to the German text. 



I wish to take this opportunity of expressing my very 

 sincere thanks to Professor Fitting and to the Editors of the 

 "Tropenpflanzer" for allowing the publication of an English 

 version. Mr. F. Crosbie Roles, of Ceylon, has kindly helped me 

 to see this pamphlet through the press. 



J. H. RENTON. 

 Christmas, 1909. 



