AfRlL, 1912.] 



Saps and Exudations. 



Again, we must differ from the state- 

 ment that the interval between suc- 

 cessive tappings, providing it does not 

 exceed a week or so, makes little differ- 

 ence to the yield of rubber per tapping. 

 This is apt to lead to very bad work on 

 some estates, and we hope that managers 

 will not depart from the system of 

 tapping every alternate day, or even, if 

 necessary, tapping every day. We 

 would much rather see the Peradeniya 

 authorities lay stress upon the thinness 

 of the bark shavings during tapping 

 operations, and the mapping out of the 

 tapping area on each tree in such a 

 manner that the area available will last 

 the minimum period we have previously 

 specified. What, for instance, would be 

 the practical issue it a manager on the 

 advice given in the Circular only tapped 

 once per week ? What distance between 

 the tapping lines would have to be 

 allowed when the manager obtained 

 bark shavings of an average thickness 

 of one-twentieth to one-twenty-filth of 

 an inch ? Surely there is something mis- 

 leading in the suggestion made by our 

 friends. 



THE BRAZILIAN RUBBER 

 CONGRESS. 



(From the India Rubber World, Vol. 

 XLV., No. 1, October 1, 1911.) 



With a view to defining and elucidating 

 the situation, a Congress was opened on 

 August 14, at the Ministry of Agri. 

 culture, Rio de Janeiro, composed of 

 delegates from the rubber producing 

 States of Brazil and from various 

 Brazilian commercial bodies, interested 

 in the solution of the rubber crisis. The 

 Congress was under the presidency of 

 Dr. Pedro de Toledo, Minister of 

 Agriculture. 



Among' those present was Senhor 

 Monteriro deSouza, deputy, representing 

 the State of Amazonas and the Manaos 

 Commercial Association ; Senhor Passes 

 de Miranda, deputy, representing the 

 State of Para ; Dr. Henrique Hirsch (of 

 Messrs, Adolph Hirsch & Co.) represent- 

 ing the Bahia Commercial Association ; 



as well as a number of delegates from 

 other parts of Brazil. 



In his opening remarks, the President 

 alluded to the rubber crisis prevailing 

 in the north of Brazil ; affecting, as it 

 did, the second in importance of the 

 export products of the country, and the 

 source of a great part of the national 

 wealth. Sacrifices would be necessary, 

 but would be amply repaid by the in- 

 dustrial and commercial development of 

 northern Brazil. With this in view, it 

 had been considered advisable to for- 

 mulate an organized plan, acceptable to 

 the Government, in the elaboration of 

 which material help had been given by 

 Dr. Mendes, Director of the Commercial 

 Museum, and Dr. Pereira da Silva, the 

 well-known engineer. 



The project, Dr. de Toledo added, had 

 been drawn up in complete accord with 

 the views of the President of the Re- 

 public, It embraces a systematic pro- 

 gram of suitable measures, which when, 

 once carried into effect, would ensure a 

 period of prosperity to the rubber- 

 growing States. 



When the reading of the plan, of which 

 translation is subjoined, had been con- 

 cluded, Senhor Passes de Miranda ex- 

 pressed his approval of same. Senhor 

 Henrique Hirsch, the delegate of the 

 Bahia Commercial Association, asked 

 whether the project was susceptible of 

 modification, Dr. de Toledo replied that 

 the proposals represented the initiative 

 of the Government, with a view to 

 meeting the competition of Far Eastern 

 rubber. The plan was economic rather 

 than financial in character ; the Govern- 

 ment being prohibited from entering 

 into trading operations for the solution 

 of the present crisis. The project, he 

 added, was subject to such modifications 

 as might be dictated by the experience 

 of the delegates. 



A proposal was unanimously accepted 

 for the appointment of a Committee of 

 five members to study the plan elaborated 

 by the Government, and to present a 

 report at the second sessions, to be held 

 a week later* The delegates selected for 



