THE PARA RUBBER TREE 



129 



long. The results obtained are summarised in the follow- 

 ing table : 



Xo. ol trees. 



No. of 



tappings. 



Daily yield of dry 

 rubber. 



Minimum. 



.Maximum, 



Total 

 yield of 



dry 

 rubber. 



Average 



total yield 



per tree 



Average 

 yield per 

 tree at 

 each 

 tapping. 



1. 50 trees — average 



girth 25 in. . I 23 



2. 50 trees — average 



girth 22 in. . 21 



3. 3 trees previously 



tapped § . 20 



2* 

 nil* 



lb. oz. 

 1 5it 



2'l 



lb. oz. 



20 8 



14 2f 



1 2 



6-50 

 4-53 

 6 



0-29 

 0-21 

 0-3 



These experiments were continued during 1910, when 

 two further groups, each containing eighty trees, were 

 tapped in addition to the trees operated upon in the 

 previous year. The tapping was done every alternate 

 day from September 19 to December 31, with the excep- 

 tion of a break of three days from September 27 to 29. 

 The results are summarised below : 



Tapping was commenced during 1911 at Messrs. 

 Miller Brothers' plantation at Sapele, 300 of the largest 

 five-year-old trees which were 22-82 in. in average girth 

 being selected for the purpose. The trees were divided 

 into three groups of 100 each, which were tapped to a 

 height of 5^ ft. over one-quarter, one-third, and one-half 

 of the circumference respectively, the lateral incisions 

 being made 12 in. apart. The tapping was performed 



* First tappmg. 

 t 21st tapping. 

 X loth and 17th tappings. 



§ These three trees gave 9 oz. of dry rubber in 8 tappings in August 

 1909. 



11 15th tapping. 



