602 



cipals' firms, with the names of the towns where they reside. Mr. 

 HlLL, when in their districts, will send for your principals and 

 explain to them the agricultural and commercial potentialities of 

 this country and give them any information they may desire — and 

 we hope that you will amongst yourselves look for an energetic 

 leader and form some Scheme by which both you and the Govern- 

 ment will derive permanent benefit and profit. 



You will bear in mind what I have said as to vour present practi- 

 cal exemption from all taxation. 



CARCOSA, 

 Kuala Lumpur, r _>lh November^ kjuj. 



• 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



COAGULATION OF RUBBFR. 



LAXADROX ESTATE, 



Muar, ist December ,»it}02. 



To the Lditcr, 



AGRICULTURAL BULLETIN. 



Dear Sir, 



Following up my letter to you of September 24th last, the 

 articles in question by Dr. Weber are contained in three issues of 

 the " India Rubber and Gutta-Pereha Trades' Journal", dated Sept. 

 15th, 29th and Oct. 13th respectively and I am sure are well worth 

 the careful attention of any one interested in rubber planting. The 

 main points particularly relating to co-agulation are as follows: — 



I. That the so-called co-agulation of rubber by acids or alkalies 

 is erroneous in that it is only the albumen which is co-agulated by 

 these substances and not the India-rubber itself. 



IT. That the albumen contained in latex is very harmful in 

 many respects, and that it ought to be entirely eliminated from the 

 milk before attempting to co-agulate the rubber. 



III. The method recommended for co-agulation is. brieflv., as 

 follows: — 



First mix the latex with water, at leabt five times the volume of 

 the latex. In cases where the latex is thick, actually boiling water 

 may be used to advantage. In this state, it can be easily strained 

 to remove all impurities. 



After this add formaldehyde in the proportion of 8 oz. to a 

 petroleum barrel, stir it well and let it stand for 24 hours, when 

 the rubber will collect on the top andean be lifted out in one mass. 



In order to remove any traces of albumen that may be sus- 

 pended, the rubber should be cut into strips and subjected to a 

 thorough washing upon an ordinary rubber washing machine. 



I hope that my letters may create some interest in the question 

 and re sult in some experiments "being carried out and duly recorded 

 for publication in tiie " Bulletin." 



