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TAPPING IN RUBBER TREES. 



(Plate IV.) 



We give in this number a photograph of a tree which shows 

 herring-bone tapping scars of three dates. The tree in the 

 Botanic Gardens of Singapore was planted about 1886, and is 

 thus nineteen years old. It is one of a row of trees planted 

 about 6 feet apart, but having no trees on either side of the row, 

 and so a fair space and plenty of light to grow in has attained 

 a large size. The front herring-bone tapping was made last year, 

 and the one on the right as yon face the tree some years pre- 

 viously. That on the left was the earliest. It will be seen how 

 easily the side cuts of the herring-bone of the second tapping 

 can be made to alternate with those of the first years. The tree 

 for tapping purposes has practically four sides, and is best tapped 

 in the following order, first year, front ; second year, back ; third 

 year, right side (between the last two); fourth year, left side; fifth 

 year, front again. By this time the first tapping will have long 

 been covered with a layer of wood and bark, usually showing 

 only an outline on the bark of where it was tapped before. The 

 healing up of the tapping wounds rapidly is a thing to be desired. 

 It usually takes about three months for a tap cut to heal 

 over, but much depends on the weather. If the weather is 

 dry the growth of the new bark is much slower than in the wet 

 weather. 



WASHED RUBBER. 



By P. J. Burgess. 



The response which has been made by the manufacturers to 

 the request for criticism of the proposal to wash and clean 

 plantation rubber on the plantation as part of the routine of 

 preparation is most gratifying, showing as it does that the idea 

 is being fairly considered, and promising to treat the matter on 

 its own merits. 



A reference to the "India-rubber Journal" for 13th February, 

 will show that the first experimental washing machine in the 

 East was working in August, 1904, at the Argi-Horticultural 

 Show at Kuala Lumpur. 



Since then several of these machines have been established 

 on different plantations, but the output of rubber has, up to the 

 present time, been small, the plantations being voung, and 

 extensive tapping only just commencing. 



On Lowlands Estate, however, the machine has been in 

 constant daily use for several months, and a large and an increas- 

 ing amount of rubber is being turned out in the clean, dry, 

 washed condition, small samples of whicli have alreadv been sent 

 to England. 



