46 
and is some 30 to 40 feet high. The natives score the bark to a 
depth of five-eighths of an inch, and the men, who have had experi- 
ence of the work in other places, contend that the tree can be 
tapped again with good results in about 18 months’ time. If this 
is so, we have started what is likely to prove a valuable industry." 
So far it had not been possible to iden ntify this ten rubber- 
yielding tree. The specimens hitherto received at Kew were 
imperfect, and i E some cases even consisted of saris of totally 
different "plant The next contribution received was from 
Mr. Jonathan C. . Olubi, F.R.G.S., who forwarded excellent speci- 
mens of the tree and samples of "the Il accompanying them 
with the folowing interesting letter : 
Mamu Forest Station, Ibadan District, 
DEAR eun, Lagos, May 3, 1895. 
For identification, improvement on, and advice about the 
rubber tree discovered in this forest not quite a year ago by the 
energy of Governor Carter, I now send you the following parcels. 
I have seen many fore rubber trees and vines in the Botanic 
Station at Lagos, such as the Kosa rubber, Para rubber, and the 
Ficus elastica, but not this particular tree that I am going to 
describe. It was first discovered in Accra about the year 1883, 
and from its foni dà teu Europeans and natives have made 
their fortunes. The native name of this rubber tree is Ire, Ireh, 
or 
The Ire tree is one of the most beautiful trees in the forest. 
From the ground it grows evenly in bulk and smoothly to the 
height of 60 to 70 feet. The average thickness of the tree is 12 
to 14 inches in diameter. In the rainy season, when the trees are 
full of milk, a tree well tapped is — of producing from 
to 15 lbs. of rubber, which i is worth about 1s. per lb. here if pro- 
perly prepared, and 2s. ld. to 2s. 4d. in English markets if made 
into "placult. 
resent method by which the milk is extracted is shown on 
or direct me to where I can get a sample? There are many ways 
in which the milk is prepared : first by cutting a coffin-like hole 
in the trunk of a tree and throwing in milk daily until it is full, 
then the milk is well covered, airtight if possible, and within a 
month it is quite solid. Of course e in “he rainy season it ma e 
two months erste it is solid. This is known as the silk rubber. 
The one oe and cooked in water and whose _ appearance 
a 
causes it to get black pry some days of exposure) is known as the 
first quality rubber. The rubber cooked as ed ‘aid thickened 
by heat directly in the pot obtains bogie prices. Can one improve 
on these methods? I know of one method, but it is difficult to 
follow, for one cannot get the fresh milk. The custom is to pur- 
chase already cooked milk. The preparation I speak of is to 
allow the milk to remain in cold water (about double the = 
ine of the milk) for twenty-four hours, then the milk 
is then and put in a bag, which Ehe qp-for 
