156 
of the monopoly ; and when their term expired, the lease for one 
year from September last was put up to auction and realised a lac 
The forest officer attached to the Mogaung column has no doubt 
reported on the general distribution of the Ficus elastica and on 
the Kachin methods of tapping it. I sott therefore touch very 
briefly upon these subjects. The Chin say that the India- 
Popa tree occurs throughout a very mime o district M 
several hundred miles north of Mogaung and extending to the 
east far across the Chinese border. A fractional part only of this 
ense are 
5 ney north o amein. 
equally large supply should soon, it is said, be obtained from the 
Endaw and Laotsun districts. On the recent expedition we met a 
few me loads coming down the Endaw River, but there has, as 
yet, been no arrangement between the Chinese and the local 
tsawbwas under which the forests can be systematically worked. 
The Kachins are described as exceedingly jealous of interference 
with their trees, and very careful in their methods of tapping them. 
What I myself observed on the march fully bore out the latter 
part of this gaument The few trees seen were strong and 
vigorous, and though covered with innumerable small Hip one 
even up to the tiny topmost branches, they had mum not bee 
drained to to the extent of one-half their power. In the early DAE 
is and 
rectified, of over-bleeding the trees; it was in this way ascertained 
that a large tree if bled to death would yield: 500 viss of rubber in 
the course of a single season 
Mogaung is the adau of the India-rubber trade. Of the 
total yearly supply four-fifths are brought into Mogaung by 
Kachins, the majority a whom are in regular employ of the 
Chinese lessees, and one-fifth is purchased in the districts by 
Chinese agents of ihe; em sees. Under m pent system the 
Chinese manager at Mogaung. a man nam d Li, makes liberal 
confidence in Kachin honesty is misplaced. The Kachins having 
brought the rubber into Mogaung sell it to Li. All payments are 
now made in rupees. The price obtained when I was at ee 
averaged Rs. 145 for a 100 viss, last year it varied 
Rs. 120. to Rs. 130. At rats the Kachins used to be rnah 
cheated in bel process of weighing, and they retaliated by 
i n the plier Baten. e a balls the centre 
and di 
by mutual consent. The Kachin is now credited with the full 
bee ue or nearly the full weight of his rubber, which on its arrival 
ogaung is well washed, dried, and nating a ball 
by ball, before it is sided. Those Kachins w. received 
advances from Li make the refund by se selling to Mita at half the 
current price, until the amount of the debt is s cleared off. A small 
