214 THE RUBBER INDUSTRY 



agriculturists, who possess the principal interest in it. 

 Within a few months of planting a remunerative crop 

 is obtained, and this profitable return continues for 

 some three years, with no other expenses for cultiva- 

 tion than keeping the ground free from weeds and 

 picking the fruit when ripe. Moreover, the fruiting 

 season extends practically over the whole year, and so 

 causes no inconvenience in regard to any addition or 

 reduction of the labour force employed. 



Tapping begins when the trees have attained a girth 

 of 1 8 inches at 3 feet from the base, and as a rule in 

 Malaya this development occurs when they are about 

 three and a half years of age. In three or four days 

 after the first tapping of the trees the latex runs freely. 

 The yield is not great during the first year of tapping, 

 generally not more than J pound to J pound per tree, 

 and the cost of collection is high. Provided the 

 tapping is well done, with a single V at the base, no 

 apparent damage is occasioned to the trees by begin- 

 ning at this early age ; in fact, they appear to gain in 

 girth when compared to trees left untapped. The 

 latex, however, is undoubtedly inferior to latex from 

 trees of more mature age. Throughout Malaya the 

 Jebong or Burgess knife, a replica of the farrier's 

 knife with very slight modifications, or the bent 

 gouge, is preferred to any of the more modern im- 

 plements. After tapping for two years with the 

 single V on alternate sides, the tree is divided into 

 quarters above the V tapping, and is then tapped on 

 the half herring-bone system. This allows four years' 

 time for the renovation of the bark, and in the opinion 

 of practical planters this period is sufficient for the 



