261 
io the gutter at the base of the tree. Another set of incisions may 
then be made parallel to the first, at about es "i twelve inches 
from them, and other vertical rows of cuts m made if there 
be sufficient room for them. On a tree of 2 feet ry inches in girth, 
four vertical rows of cuts may be made without serious injury. 
* As each cut is made, the milk flowing from the cut above it 
should " guided downwards to it along the bark by means of a 
twig, otherwise the milk is liable to be wasted by dropping to the 
ground from projecting portions of the bark. 
“The bulk of the milk, especially in large trees or trees which 
have not been recently tapped, ultimately flows into the cups at 
the base of the tree. "These should be kept covered in such a way 
as to prevent dust or other rubbish falling into the milk. As soon 
as the milk ceases to flow into the cups, these are removed to a 
. o 
of the year for tapping are still di subject of experiment. The 
most satisfactory results have on the whole been obtained by 
tapping in the drier parts of the two monsoons, n from January 
to April, and in August and September. The tapping should be 
done on dry days, E it is difficult to prevent dilution of 
the milk and to dry t 
“The tappings may follow one another at intervals of a week for 
about four to eight weeks. The second tapping gives a much 
larger yield than the first, and the third and fourth tappings are 
usually very productive. In a series of experiments made during 
1897 on trees of about 2 ft. mean girth, the ATATIA, yield per tree 
of the successive weekly tappings was as follow 
oz. | oz* 
First week ... i Sa .. 773 | Fourth week nM EOS ge + SB 
Second week AM Fs .. 148 | Fifth week... sue wie SUB T 
Third week id aa .. 797 | Sixth week vie su oe 
Total sua i4 IER ONE 
* Yield.—The statements as to yield of rubber found in books of 
apral 2p: po opojar articles are very unreliable, and experiments 
ing made to test the whole question of yield. The late 
Dr. Trinh commenced in 1888 to tap one of the original trees at 
Henaratgoda, then park twelve years old and 504 inches in girth, 
a yard from the groun 
“Tt was tapped on seven days between January 25and ben Hl 15, 
. yielding 171 oz. of rubber, on six days between July 2 and 
August 29, yielding 1 oz., and on four days between December 6 
and 20, yieldin ng 44 oz. ; a total of 1 lb. 123 oz. The same meshed 
was followed in alternate years, with torik as shown below : 
1888. oau i on | weed dh MB ok h 3004 saas ban silon Bih B. o 
1800 («^ o ae A 10 om. | 1896 jansa sab KAAN D OR. 
WE Qu s RIS 
Tol ., I31b.7 ok 
Cnt man Roe mae acrem 
