20 



The nett proceeds amounted to £61 !s. 6cl., or 8617.18. I believe 

 this to have been the largest parcel of Para rubber sent home from 

 the East. It realised 6d. per lb. more than that sent home in 1898, 

 and was reported on as " Para character". 



The tapping commenced in March, 1899, and was carried on till 

 July. It was intended to tap a few trees, those which ran most 

 freely with a view of obtaining the maximum amount of latex with- 

 out injury, and to obtain about 4 — 5 lbs. from other trees. This 

 much could have been done, but owing to the exceptionally heavy 

 rains which frequently interrupted the work, and in order that the 

 seed crop should not be damaged, tapping was stopped and with 

 several trees long before completed. 



Altogether 82 trees were tapped with the following result : — 



Total. 



No. ot 

 trees 

 Tapped. 



Yield 

 per 1 ree, 

 dry kud- 

 ber. 



Total 

 weight, 

 ary rCu D- 

 ber. 





11 



lbs. ozs. 



lbs. ozs. 



1 3 



io\ 



8 8A 



7 



1 5 



9 3 



6 



2 



12 



5 



2 10 



13 2 



12 



3 5 



39 12 



7 



4 



28 



5 



4 10 



23 2 



9 



5 5 



47 13 



5 



6 



30 



2 



6 10 



13 4 



3 



7 5 



21 15 



2 



S 



16 



2 



8 10 



17 4 



1 



9 5 



9 5 



1 



10 



10 



1 



10 10 



10 10 



1 



12 ig 



12 i£! 



82 



1 



... 



322 00 



Note : — These figures are approximate. The 

 weight has been computed from the number of 

 tins of latex obtained from each tree. Three 

 hundred and twenty-two lbs. dry rubber was 

 obtained from 485 tins of latex, giving an aver- 

 age of ioj^ ozs. per tin when dry. The tins 

 are 6 inches x 4 inches x 2 inches. 



Average age of trees 14 years. 



Present girth at 3 feet from the ground. 



ft. 



c 6 



(o 

 ( 6 

 I 5 



!J 



7 

 7 

 7 



3 



1 1 

 3 ) 



2 S 



3 

 1 



4 



o 



Measured 18 months. 



After tapping. 



To this should be added 19 lbs. scrap, i <?., rubber collected on 

 the trees, making a total yield of 341 lbs., or an average of four 

 and one-fifth lbs. per tree. 



The average age of trees tapped is 14 years, taking the yield at 

 4 lbs. per tree, and estimating the trees at 100 to the acre, this 

 would give a gross return of £73. 6s. 8<Y. at present prices, or at 

 half the price, £36. 135. 4;/., and what other tropical product gives 

 the same return? If the trees were only half this age, say 6 — 7 



