5 



it largely for fence post*. From the trees already in full growth in the bush and towns a considerable 

 export trade could be readily established, and careful planting would develop thiB trade to almost an un* 

 limited extent. 



The rubber gatherer has no need of expensive implements or heavy baggage when he goes into the 

 buBh to collect and prepare the milk. He should take half a dozen or more well-cleansed kerosine-oil tins. 

 With these tins, a sharp cutlass, a few yards of strong cotton cloth, and a sieve made of doubled muslin 

 fastened like a jelly bag to a round hoop, he has all that he absolutely requires for his work. 



On reaching the tree to be tapped, deep incisions are made on one side only of the stem and branches.. 

 The milk, as it flows from the incisions, is directed into the collector's veusel by a small piece of tin which 

 is inserted into the bark sc as to serve as a spout. 



When the day's work ic done, the milk should be mixed with an equal quantity of pure rain water, 

 and strained through tho eieve into clean korosine-oil tins, which have been well scalded so as to remove 

 all traces of grease. The mixture should be left to stand, without being moved or shaken, for 36 hours. 

 The milk will then have riser, to the curface, and the water and impurities which have sunk can be drawn 

 away through a smull hols near tha bottom of the tin, which has been stopped by a plug of wood. As 

 soon as white particles are 3een to pass through the hole with the watery the plug should be inserted, and 

 the washed milk poured into the prepared tin, with the cotton-cloth bag inside. 



The milk, having been poured into the bag until the tin is half full, should be left with the mouth 

 of the bug well tied, and a square pisce of vood lying on the top of it for 12 hours. A bag of sand weigh- 

 ing about 10 pounds may then be put on to tha top of the piece of wood for another 12 hours. Quantities 

 of discoloured water will be seen to flow from the perforations in the sides and bottom of the tin during 

 this process, and on touching the top of the bag it will be found to offer come resistance to pressure 



A stoat tree branch about 20 feet long should now be cut and trimmed, or if palm-leaf " bamboos" 

 are obtainable, six or eight ox them can bo 3trongly lashed together. The poll thus obtained should hava 

 one end firmly fixed by thiu3ting it into a hole dug under a strong tree root, and a block of wood having 

 been cut large enough to fit loosely into the tin, so as to rest on the square piece of wood which lies on tha 

 top of the bag of rubber, and to project above the mouth of the tin for about a foot ; the tin and block 

 should be thrust under the pole at the distance of perhaps a yard from the end which passes under the- 

 tree root. A large bag should now bo filled with oand, and hung on to the pole. It is evident that tho 

 farther this beg in moved up tho pole, the greater* will be the pressure on the block of wood which acts 

 as the fulcrum of the levsr, and consequently upon the bag of rubber milk upon which it rests. Great 

 pressure can be brought to bear by this eiuipie means on the coagulating juice. Indeed, it will be found 

 advisable to have the prepared fins replaced in their wooden case, and to press the milk in them side by 

 aide, by placing a fiat beard from block to block, and allowing the pole to rest upon that rather than 

 directly upon the blocks. Unless some such precautions be taken, the tins will be apt to bulge, and per- 

 haps burst outwards, vser. lull pre;; ere plied. 



The bag of sand should weigh about 100 pounds, and should be hung as near the tin as possible for 

 12 hours. It should then bo moved along the pola gradually until it reaches the end farthest from the 

 tin, where it should be laft for two or three days. 



On removing the weights end taking the bag out of tha tin, which car. be done by pressing the sides 

 and lifting slowly, the mouth of the bag may be untied and the rubber rsmoved, by turning the bag in- 

 side out. It will not be found to adhere to the cloth in the slightest degree, nor will there be any traces of 

 viscosity in the rubber itself. It will appear an a white semi-elastic mass, which on exposure to the air 

 will gradually turn black, and will gain in elasticity as it dries. 



The samples when prepared should not be unnecessarily axposed to the sun, but will not ba injured 

 in any way by exposure to rain. They will, if anything, be improved by immersion in water. 



The above method was followed when preparing the sample which I forward as Exhibit No. 1. At 

 this season of the year it is difficult »o obtain large enough quantities of milk for extensive experiments, 

 and the specimens I am able to show are in consequence too small for commercial purposes. It is, how- 

 ever, my intention to continue the experiments on which these notes are based when the rains bagin and 

 the trees yield mora cap. A further report will then be submitted should any new features present them- 

 selves. 



Exhibits 2Tos. 2 and 3 are of unwashed milk oo&gulatad by pressure, but as an insufficient weight 

 was applied, they shew a cellular structure, and are also not free from impurities. 



Exhibits Nos. 4 and 5 are of 3h?de-ovaporatad, unwashed milk, and are of fair quality. This method, 

 however, cannot well be applied during the rainy 3aason without the application of artificial heat, which 

 I have proved to give unsatisfactory results. 



Exhibits Nos. 2, 3, 4, and 5 ara the results of preliminary experiments which were carried on with 

 a view to proving the possibility of adopting, for the preparation of West African rubbers, the process 

 described in notes already submitted to the Government of this Colony (see Government Gazette, Colony 

 of Lagos, February, 1888.) 



Exhibit .No. I shows that the method indicated has been, to a certain extent successful, even under 

 extremely adverse circumstances. It will, however, be for experts in England in point out the good and 

 bad qualities of the samples, and to declare the price that it ought to command in the English market. 



These notes have been ctriotly limited to the consideration of certain attempts to apply the method 

 above described to the preparation of india-rubber from tha juice of the "Abba" tree. There is now on 

 hand a series of experiments on tha " Ibo" vine juice, which may be further reported on when complete, 

 but at present no results hava been arrived at of sufficient dsfiniieness to warrant a detailed report. 



It is important to remember that the rssults here noied have been obtained from one series of experi- 

 ments only, and are :aot to be considered as in any way final. They serve to prove the possibility of apply- 

 ing a simple and inexpensive cyatem of preparation to African rubbers which has already produced good 

 results elsewhere. It will always be a sincere pleasure to me to show what little I know about the sub- 



