CHAPTER VI 

 HOW TO TAP PARA RUBBER TREES. 



Methods of tapping Para rubber trees — Methods of native collectors in 

 Brazil and the Gold Coast — observations of Jumelle and Bonne- 

 chaux — Modern methods — Single oblique cuts, illustrated — V inci- 

 sions, illustration showing a tree after ten weeks' tapping — Limited 

 area — Herring-bone system — Photographs of trees in Ceylon tapped 

 on the herring-bone system — The zig-zag method and its use 

 — Spiral curves — F. Crosbie Roles on the spiral method, yields 

 and estimates — Results of the spiral system in parts of Ceylon — 

 Collecting and storing of latex— Bury' s protector- — Centralizing the 

 latex from many trees, illustrated — Drip-tins, their construction and 

 action, illustrated — Keeping the latex liquid and settling tanks — 

 Method of marking the trees for tapping — Collecting tins 



Methods of Tapping. 



The best method of tapping is that which extracts the maximum 

 amount of latex from the tree with removal of the minimum quan- 

 tity of cortical tissue, and without damaging the thin layer of 

 cambium cells. The cambium is responsible for the renewal of 

 the cortical tissue in which the latex tubes arise by a process of 

 perforation and decomposition at a later stage. If the cambium 

 is damaged the repairing of the cortical tissue is long delayed, and 

 in very many cases the areas so damaged can never be tapped to 

 the same advantage as previously. 



At Henaratgoda and on estates many examples of the effect of 

 injuring the cambium may be seen at the present time, though the 

 damage may have been done many years ago. The surface of a 

 badly-tapped tree does not become even and smooth for many 

 years, and tapping on the latest system on such trees is difficult 

 and often impossible. 



Methods of Native Collectors in Brazdl. 

 The felling of the wild trees and the ringing of the bark and 

 cortex in order to collect the milk are now rarely practised by native 

 collectors. The latex is usually collected from the trees while 

 standing, and in the Amazon Districts an upward incision is made 

 in the bark by means of a small axe, and a cup is then placed 

 beneath each cut. 



