43 



South India point of view was the fact that rubber grown at a 

 height of over 3,000 feet took the first prize. 



That Hevea would grow at these elevations was known but the 

 marketable value of the rubber produced from trees grown there 

 had not been proved. The trees from which the prize rubber was 

 taken were about than twenty years old so that they might have 

 been expected to give a good quality of rubber but to get the first 

 prize was a fine testimony to the value of the rubber produced on 

 the hills. 



Not so much light was thrown on the question of best methods 

 of extraction of latex from the tree by the exhibition as in other 

 directions. However a large series of knives and prickers were 

 exhibited and submitted by the judges to a series of practical tests. 

 The judges wisely drew up a careful list of the "points" which 

 should be considered in awarding marks to each knife. While 

 efficiency for its purpose is of the greatest importance, the stern 

 requirements of work on an estate, make any knife which is not 

 cheap and simple of little practical value. The knives which 

 received the two chief awards were the " Northway " and " Miller- 

 Macadam " the latter having advantages over the former but being 

 to some extent an adaptation of it. The principle of a guiding 

 pointer or runner (like the end of a sleigh runner) which keeps the 

 knife in the grove, is the chief point in both knives and the fact 

 that, especially, in the Miller-Macadam knife the edges can be easily 

 sharpened is of value. A good many very ingenious and effective 

 knives were exhibited, which in the hands of a European planter or 

 a skilled and careful native could do more perfect work than the 



and the fact\hat carelessly used great damage could be done, was 

 against them as a suitable tool for coolie labour. 



The tools that were exhibited as " prickers " were in nearly all 

 cases not prickers but revolving or stationary knives with spaces, 

 and in some cases more than 50 per cent, of the surface was cut. 

 That the cambial tissues of the tree can recover from the injuries 

 of these weapons as easily as from the knife cutting on one plane 

 requires to be proved. No pricker has yet been put on the market 

 which makes a prick or pointed puncture and if it was it is probable 

 that the small amount of latex extracted would discourage its use. 



There were not so many new machines for the preparation of 

 latex as perhaps might have been expected. To take them in 

 the order of the process of converting latex into market rubber ; 

 the centifugal filtering machine of Mr. MACADAM gave excellent 

 results and will be of great use where large quantities of latex have 

 to be dealt with. The latex is poured into the top of the machine 

 passes by centifugal force through a muslin bag and flows out as 

 rapidly at the bottom free from all dirt. 



Mr. Kelway BAMBER'S centrifugal cleaning machine, which as 

 well as the former obtained a medal, effected a still higher standard 

 of purity. It is possible that some very minute grains of sand may 



