CEYLON 143 



proves that fewer cuts mean no substantial reduction in 

 the quantity of rubber, a most important advance will 

 be achieved, for the constant drain on the resources of 

 the trees will be lightened to an appreciable extent. 



In view of the lower prices for plantation rubber as 

 compared to the fine product from Brazil, various ex- 

 periments were made in 1913 to apply Brazilian methods 

 of coagulating the latex by the smoking process. In 

 this connection Mr. H. A. Wickham, the "father of 

 the rubber industry," has taken an active part ; he has 

 succeeded in producing an article closely resembling 

 fine hard Para, and a small consignment of this was 

 sold recently in the London market at the same price 

 as that quoted for the highest-grade Brazilian product. 

 The inference is that some change in the established 

 methods of preparing the latex may prove of distinct 

 advantage to the producers. To cure the latex without 

 any injury to the nerve of the rubber is a consideration 

 calling for very close attention, and the present system 

 of maceration after coagulation obviously does not tend 

 in that direction, although the tearing apart of the 

 tissues in the creping machines inflicts less harm on 

 the crude material than might be expected. As matters 

 are to-day, the curing process is convenient and rapid ; 

 but it remains to be seen if more tardy results obtained 

 by a partial reversion to the means employed in the 

 Amazon Valley are not justified by higher values in 

 the markets, and whether the additional price does not 

 more than compensate for the cost of the extra labour 

 employed. Reference to this subject has been made in 

 the section of this book devoted to the Brazilian rubber 

 industry ; but many of the principal difficulties in con- 



