RUBBER PLANTING 149 



Tapping Intervals. 



The effect of different intervals between successive 

 tappings on old trees has been discussed at some length 

 in Chapter IV. So long as the yield from a young 

 plantation continues to increase steadily, we have not at 

 present sufficient grounds for recommending any change 

 from the interval of one or two days which is usually 

 adopted ; in fact there is evidence that in the case of 

 young trees the yield per tapping may decrease as the 

 interval between successive tappings is extended. In 

 the case of older plantations of closely planted trees, if 

 the yield shows a tendency to remain stationary or 

 to fall off, we would suggest the trial of twice as long 

 an interval without any other alteration of the system in 

 use. We should not be greatly surprised if the planter 

 were to find after some months that he is harvesting 

 as much rubber as before, with an expenditure of only 

 half the labour. 



Difficulties and Precautions. 



The physiology of latex production was discussed in 

 Chapters in and IV as fully as is justified by our 

 limited knowledge of the subject. The present section 

 contains a few general remarks in relation to tapping. 

 One of the chief troubles of the latex collector consists 

 in the washing away of the latex which occurs in 

 wet weather, owing to the rain water which streams 



