49 
As showing the remarkable igs dime which has taken place 
in the rubber industry at Lagos during the last six months, 
ihe Acting Governor has lemihed: Kew with the following 
particulars ;— 
RETURN of RUBBER exported from LaGos qu the half year 
ended June 30, 1895 
Month. Weight, Value. 
lbs. 
January  ... e v i 1,131 1,213 10 3 
February ... aa é ive ` 15,888 777 0 
h »" $ . ^ 26,316 1,419 7 
April vx Enea 39,763 2,078 16 6 
Meo ao, >i SN E: 216,916 11700 0 
une é ee . sis 268,619 12 577 2 6 
ToO Loc e E Peace 588,033 29,765 18 5 
E. A. LOVELL, Collector of Customs, 
July 12, 1895. 
EXTRACTING THE RUBBER. 
. The following information respect ing the ae of tapping the 
Ire trees and preparing the rubber is taken from the Report of 
the Botanic Station at Lagos for the quarter ended Sat March, 1895. 
This Report was prepared during the absence of Mr. Millen on 
mi - Mr. F. G. R. Leigh, the acting-curator. 
apping the trees the bark is first cut in a vertical direction 
ros ths bottom to the top. This single line is about } to $ of an 
inch broad, and deep enough to reach the inner dir “This forms 
the main groove. On each side of this, tw series of oblique 
grooves, about two feet apart, are cut, each running i into the main 
groove. The side grooves are made, beginning at the top and 
gradually scathing the -— E the tree. All the milk exuding 
from the lateral grooves l find its way into the main groove, 
riis a e ultimately reach d bottom, where a vessel is placed to 
ve it, When eet DUK ‘has accumulated it is then 
collecsia and made into r 
The methods OX a coagulating the milk are then 
described. These are at present of two kinds, viz., “the cold 
rocess" and “the heat process.” The cold process is chiefly 
e Gold Coas 
k of. n o form a 
-— of the vice €— for holding the milk collected 
After being kneaded and pressed together, the ribi thus 
obtained has a dark brownish colour, with the inner portions of 
a bis oat lighter colour. Such rubber is known locally as “silk 
25781 D 
