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and further for this reason, that every transition to a different 

 tapping system is accompanied by technical difficulties. I would 

 consider it a better idea to try the experiment of allowing the four 

 tapping periods of one cycle to follow each other more closely, so 

 that the whole cycle would not embrace as many as four, but 

 possibly only three or even only two years. But experiments of 

 this kind, or any other experiments with new and other tapping 

 methods, should never be undertaken without having an examina- 

 tion made from time to time as to their effect on the circulation 

 of sap in the stem and on the quantity of reserve material contained 

 in its reservoirs. I look upon this as one of the most important 

 means for arriving in course of time at rational tapping methods. 



It is of course not excluded, on the contrary quite possible, 

 that an investigation of all the questions I was able to raise in 

 connection with my experiments, will further substantially increase 

 our knowledge of this very difficult subject, and that we shall 

 then succeed either in modifying my suggestions on this or that 

 point, or in establishing them still more firmly. It is, therefore, 

 a matter of urgency that these investigations should be undertaken 

 without further delay. I have already pointed out, that it is 

 merely a question of sufficient plant material to carry them out 

 in the shortest possible time. 



The tapping method (the herring-bone incision on a quarter of 

 the tree's circumference), which I feel justified in recommending on 

 the basis of my experiments, is also the same to which Ridley, 

 in Singapore, recently tried to draw attention. It is a great 

 pleasure to me, that my views coincide unreservedly with the 

 opinions of one who is such an excellent authority in the province 

 of rubber research. This concurrence of views, is all the more 

 gratifying, as we seem to have arrived at our opinions by different 

 ways. Anothexjidvantagc of this method is, that it gives regular 

 occupation to the labour force year after year, and day by 

 dax without any 7 very great interruptions. It may be possible, 

 at leasFin many districts, to distribute the time of the tapping 

 periods in such a manner over the different parts of the plant- 

 ation, that there is no month in the year in which lapping is 

 not carried on. 



If anyone should consider it important that during each 

 tapping period, latex should be extracted from various parts of 

 the tree's circumference, and not from one continuous strip of 



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