96 THE RUBBER INDUSTRY 



than that quoted for the first quality of pelles or knap- 

 sacks. 



Simple and inexpensive improvements in connection 

 with the cylinder system can be made without difficulty 

 if the process should come into popular favour. A 

 receiver fitted with a conducting channel can be 

 adapted to distribute the latex automatically and evenly 

 over the drum in order to replace the hand dipping ; a 

 slight alteration in the form of the cone-shaped funnel 

 would allow the smoke to penetrate directly to every 

 part of the revolving cylinder, instead of rising in a 

 dense column and being dissipated throughout the hut ; 

 moreover, a flue could be adjusted above the cylinder 

 so as to permit the escape of the smoke after passing 

 over the latex, and thus relieve the collector from the 

 injurious effects of the daily immersion in an atmo- 

 sphere saturated with carbonic acid gas. 



The general rule is for collectors to make delivery of 

 * the rubber once a fortnight on the properties located 

 near the river-banks, but how often it is received is left 

 to the decision of the manager. The longer the rubber 

 is kept by the collector, the greater the loss in weight ; 

 this consideration is a factor seldom ignored, and occa- 

 sionally the seringueiro insists on a weekly weighing. 

 In the districts of the upper rivers, where the estradas 

 are often two or three days' journey from the head- 

 quarters of the estate, the delivery is delayed frequently 

 by difficulties of transport, especially during the period 

 of low-water in the rivers, and the rubber is brought in 

 only twice or thrice during the tapping season. 



The weighing of the rubber takes place at the estate 

 store. Each collector receives a note of the amount he 



