CHAPTEE V. 



METHOD OF GATHERING THE NATIVE GUM. 



The present method of gathering Oum-elastic objectionable. The smoking process unneces- 

 sary. Exposure to the sun injurious. Disadvantage of impm-e admixtures in gathering to 

 manufacture. Virgin gum. Imported impure gams. The tropical regions yield an immense 



- supply of Gum-elastic. 



The object of this chapter is not to describe the method of 

 gathering the gum as it is now practiced. This method is de- 

 scribed under the head of " Indian Manufacture." My purpose 

 is briefly to draw the attention of the mercantile community to 

 the subject, and to satisfy them that the present is perhaps the 

 worst possible method that could be devised, and that it is at- 

 tended with a vast amount of labor which does no good, but a 

 great deal of injury. 



The market is now supplied almost wholly by the importation 

 of India rubber from Para, which has been subjected to the 

 process of Indian manufacture. This was in former times use- 

 ful, but is now wholly unnecessary. What renders this article 

 still more objectionable, is the careless manner in which the 

 Indians perform their work, probably from ignorance of its im- 

 portance ; and in some instances, it would appear that foreign 

 substances are purposely intermixed, in order to increase the 

 weight of the gum. 



The writer does not profess to be sufficiently informed to 

 prescribe any precise mode of gathering and treating the native 

 gum, instead of that at present practiced in Para. The most 

 suitable way will suggest itself to any man of intelligence, who 

 is informed in what state the gum is wanted for the manufac- 

 tories. Since the manufacture has undergone the changes 



