i5o RUBBER AND 



down the trunk of the tree. Rainy days generally make 

 up a large proportion of the tapping season, and if 

 tapping is stopped whenever there is heavy rain, the 

 loss of yield will be considerable. A simple system of 

 guttering has recently been introduced in Ceylon, which 

 can be fitted to the tree above the tapping area, with the 

 object of keeping the latter dry. 



Another reason for keeping dry the tapping area, 

 lies in the fact that this region is more susceptible than 

 any other to the attacks of disease germs. A constant 

 watch should therefore be kept on the tapping cuts, 

 and at the first sign of disease tapping should be 

 suspended. There are two reasons for ceasing to tap 

 a diseased tree ; firstly in order to allow the individual 

 tree to recuperate, and secondly to avoid the trans- 

 ference of infection to other trees by means of the 

 tapping knife. 



In the absence of visible signs of disease, certain 

 cuts are sometimes found to yield little or no latex, 

 whilst there is still a comparatively free flow from other 

 cuts. When this is the case, the hint should be taken 

 and the tree rested, otherwise definite disease is not 

 unlikely to supervene. For a description of particular 

 diseases and their treatment, reference may be made to 

 Chapter VIII. 



At the bottom of the conducting channel a tin spout 

 should be fixed into the bark, in order to throw the 

 latex clear of the surface of the tree into a cup placed 

 on the ground below. The practice of pushing the 





