H2 RUBBER AND 



to vary considerably. The lines are best marked boldly 

 with a tapping knife, in order to leave a permanent 

 trace on the surface of the trunk. 



From P nearly to B a broad shallow groove is cut 

 with the tapping knife in order to form the conducting 

 channel for the latex. The line CD should also be 

 marked out with a clear cut, in order that the tapper 

 may keep within the limits of the area allotted to him. 

 It will further conduce to accurate work if additional 

 guide lines are stencilled between the original tapping 

 cuts, and parallel to these, at intervals of about 3 inches, 

 as shown within the area QTUR. 



In the above example the original tapping cuts 

 have been placed 12 inches apart,, in order to allow of 

 a year's tapping on alternate days at the rate of 1 5 cuts 

 to the inch 180 cuts in all. It is reported that in 

 many parts of the Malay Peninsula the average width 

 of the daily shaving removed is considerably less than 

 one-fifteenth of an inch. When this is the case the 

 original cuts may be placed somewhat closer together. 

 On the other hand, if daily tapping be adopted it 

 may be necessary to place the original cuts further 

 apart. 



In the case of smaller trees those which are less 

 than 20 inches in circumference at a foot from the 

 ground tapping may be begun on a single basal V, 

 as shown at XYZ in Fig. 20. After this V has been 

 tapped for a year, the tree will probably be large 

 enough to allow of placing two or more half-herring- 



