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27ie Supplement to the Tropical Agriculturist 



common Was found to be extremely scarce and 

 marked an advance of £4 per ton during the 

 year. The outlookjs that present prices will be 

 maintained until the estimated quantity of the 

 new crop (due in August) is ascertained. 



Cochin, Coir Yarn, Roping. — The production 

 has increased, and consumption slightly fallen 

 off. Prices at the opening of the year 1911 

 were barely maintained and slightly gave way 

 during the early summer, but supplies fal 

 ing off at the latter end of the year prices re- 

 covered and closed nominal without change 

 from 1910. Prospects for 1912 are that present 

 prices will be maintained. 



Ceylon, Coir Yarns. — The higher prices 

 ruling for all descriptions of Cochin yarns mate- 

 rially affected Ceylons, and consumption having 

 increased there was a steady advance in all 

 grades, marking a total advance on the year 

 of about £3 per ton and closing with prices at 

 top. No further advance is anticipated and 

 prices will probably slightly give way during 

 the present year. 



Cochin, Coir Fibre. — Although the produc- 

 tion was less than 1910, and demand slightly fell 

 off, prices were fully maintained and closed 

 without change. Prospects are good, and higher 

 prices may be expected. 



Ceylon Fibre (Mattress). — Although there 

 was increased production in this article, con- 

 sumption, assisted by the augmented demand 

 from South Africa and Australia, overtook sup- 

 ply, and prices further advanced £2 to £3 per 

 ton from those ruling at the cloee of 1910. 

 It is anticipated that, without other countries 

 produce this fibre, further advance may be 

 looked for. 



Coir Rope.— The shipments of native made 

 rope were small, the manufacture being unsatis- 

 factory and the rope unreliable. Prices ruling 

 in 1910 were only maintained. — London Times, 

 Jan. 22. 



EXTRACTING LATEX FROM TREES. 



A New Invention. 



This invention relates to a method of and 

 means for extracting latex from trees, and has 

 for its object to obtain a better yield by means 

 of suction. 



The present methods entail considerable loss 

 by reason of latex coagulating or oxidizing by 

 the action of the air. Not only is there very 

 considerable scrap rubber, but by the process 

 of coagulation and oxidisation in the tappings 

 leading to the channels, the natural flow of the 

 latex is prevented because the tappings become 

 sealed, and further, the flow of the latex in the 

 first instance is retarded by the atmospheric 

 pressure thereon. 



The new method consists in extracting by 

 suction in any convenient manner rubber and 

 other latex from the tree, without any outside 

 influence, that is to say, without the atmos- 

 pheric action or the oxidisation of the latex. 



The latex is conducted from the tree directly 

 to a suitably covered receptable, and it may be 

 collected from the said receptacle, and vulcan- 

 ised and treated in any desired manner, such 

 as by loading, etc. 



Figure 1 shows a length of tubing actually 

 around a tree in spiral fashion, "and with plug 

 valves inserted within the bark "of the tree ana 

 leading to the tube. 



Figure 2 shows an enlarged detail of the plug 

 and a portion of the tubing. The tubing A in 

 the example shown is provided with plug valves 

 B, which may be pitched at a distance of say 6 

 inches apart. The valves B are inserted through 

 the tubing A and thence into the bark of the tree. 



The tube A may be provided with flanged 

 sleeves to accommodate the plug valves and to 

 prevent the collapsing of the tube by suction. 

 The plug valves B may be provided with a cen- 

 tral port b; which may have at the extremity of 

 the valve four cut-away ports, such as bi, and 

 leading from the central port b may be right 

 angle ports b5. 



The depth of each plug inserted in the bark 

 of the tree may be determined by adjusting the 

 cap b6, which is screwed on to one end of the 

 plug valve, and so that by unscrewing or screw- 

 ing the cap be the length of the plug is deter- 

 mined. 



New Extracting Method. 

 The end of the tube leading towards the upper 

 portion of the tree is preferably provided with 

 a water cup C, containing porous stone and also 

 a float indicating arrangement such as c for 

 the purpose of indicating the amount of water 

 in the cup. 



