5 



bark of the tree remains intact in one continuous strip the entire 

 height of one side of the tree ; if the entire circumference of the trunk 

 were out (even by incisions situated at difterent heights), the tree would 

 die within a few days. To avoid this danger we have seen the follow- 

 ing modes employed : — 



" (1.) From a certain height above the roots, incisions are made 

 in the trunk every metre or metre and a quarter approximately, until 

 within two metres of the first branches. Each incision consists of two 

 symmetrical cuts, which tot;ether will cover two-thirds of the circum- 

 ference of the tree, and will form an angle of 45 *^ , in order that the 

 milk may run freely to the lowest point. The points of all the incisions 

 must be in a perpendicular line, so that the milk from the highest incis- 

 ion, after concentrating in the angle formed by the two cuts, may run 

 to the lowest point of the next lower incision, and from there on to the 

 following, etc., until reaching the lowest, where it is collected, as ex- 

 plained further on. 



" (2.) The incision is extended to the same height of the trunk as 

 indicated in the first method, but is continuous, and consists of cuts, 

 one perpendicular to the other, always taking care never to cut into 

 more than two-thirds of the tree's circumference, thus leaving one-third 

 of the bark intact. 



" It is useless and even dangerous to make the incisions so deep as 

 to penetrate the woody part of the tree. On the contrary, great caution 

 should be exercised to preserve the fibres closest to the wood. 



" From the point of the incision nearest the ground the milk is con- 

 ducted by a canal to a receptacle of clay or wood. When collected thus, 

 the milk must be coagulated to obtain the solid marketable product. 

 This part of the process merits a serious study, as the best mode of 

 obtaining the finest and most abundant product has not been decided. 

 We limit ourselves to indicating the principal processes we have seen 

 employed. 



" The most rudimentary consists in collecting the milk in a trough 

 or even a hole excavated in the ground (which detracts from its value) 

 and employing in its coagulation the juice of the vine, here called 

 ' Quiebra-Cajete ' (an infusion of the leaves of the vine.) Alum can 

 also be employed, and exerciies a very rapid action on the milk. 

 The water contained in the milk may be evaporated by indirectly 

 applied heat, taking care that the receptacle does not commu- 

 nicate a bad colour to the rubber ; or, the milk may be mixed 

 with water, which is poured off at intervals, until all impurities 

 are removed. The clean rubber, which presents the aspect of a spongy 

 mass, is passed through a press to expel the water, thus obtaining a 

 white product of superior quality, which is left to dry in the shade, in 

 order that it may not show on the outside a glutinous liquid, which de- 

 tracts from its market value. 



" Cost and Probable Production of a Plantation. 



" This calculation must naturally be incomplete, as the cost will 

 depend in great part on the price of the lands, on the greater or less 



