32 



are being daily tapped. The half-herring-bone system 

 is used, and each coolie is provided with Miller's knife 

 and a pricker; the former is first used and some time 

 after the teeth of the latter penetrate into the inner bark. 

 Women and boys are largely employed for tapping. The 

 collecting pails in the field are not enamelled, neither are 

 they provided with lids. When filled with latex several 

 Para rubber leaves are placed at the top, dip in the latex, 

 and effectively prevent any spoiling during carriage to 

 the factory. The latex is all collected from 6 a.m. to 

 2 p.m. 



Coagulation is completed in ten minutes by means of 

 acetic acid of fixed strength; the Michie-GoUedge coagu- 

 lating machine in the factory is not used. The rubber is 

 passed through washing rollers made by Jas. Robinson 

 and Co., Salford, Manchester, and subsequently dried in 

 Passburg's vacuum drier. Each pair of washing rollers 

 deals with 1,065 ^- o^ wet rubber in ten hours, equiva- 

 lent to 424 lb. of dry rubber; the vacuum drier, working 

 half time only, disposes of 115,000 lb. of dry rubber annu- 

 ally. After the rubber leaves the vacuum drier it is hot 

 and apt to be very soft and sticky; while in this state 

 it is passed through the washing rollers, which are per- 

 fectly dry and cold, thereby being converted into excel- 

 lent thick crSpe. The strips of rubber are then hung 

 on inch wood laths, fixed near the ceiling. 



Bark shavings are no longer collected on Culloden, 

 owing to the coolies picking the scrap from the tapping 

 lines much more thoroughly than in past days. The 

 scrap is passed between a pair of Robinson's rollers, 

 horizontally fluted, and converted into crepe. 



Three sets of washing rollers, supplied by 12 by 15 inch 

 rollers, all horizontally-grooved, and a Passburg vacuum 

 drier complete the essential machinery. An engine 

 (Hornsby-Akroyd) of 36 h.p. is used to drive the appara- 

 tus. 

 Qikiyanakatide. 



This magnificent property, owned by Lord Elphinstone, 

 is now in a very advanced state, and before long the 

 number of trees fit to be tapped will be very large. Of 

 the various methods employed on this property the notes 

 given elsewhere will afford information. The full-herring- 



