154 RUBBER AND 



pans are allowed to stand for several hours until a 

 firm cake of rubber of the consistency of cream cheese 

 has formed upon the surface. The remaining liquid is 

 by this time perfectly clear and free from rubber. The 

 cake of rubber is then removed, washed in clean water, 

 and rolled out thin on a board with a common rolling 

 pin or a bottle, in order to express as much water 

 as possible. The resulting biscuits are then spread out 

 to dry on racks in an airy and darkened room. In 

 favourable weather the drying may be complete in from 

 15 to 20 days, if the biscuits do not exceed one-tenth 

 of an inch in thickness. The resulting product con- 

 sists of thin round sheets of rubber. If all goes well, 

 the biscuits are semi-transparent and of a uniform honey 

 colour. 



The first step towards more elaborate processes of 

 manufacture was the substitution of a simple rolling 

 machine for the bottle or rolling pin ; but with the 

 increase of crops from large estates, hand labour has 

 largely been ousted by the introduction of heavy 

 machinery. 



The Factory, 



The site for the factory should combine a central 

 position on the estate with accessibility to the main road 

 or other means of transit leading to the port of ship- 

 ment. A plentiful supply of good clean water is 

 essential for washing. It is generally best for the 

 factory to lie at the lowest possible level, since the 



