November, 1910.] 



application 1-2. oz. It appears from 

 these experiments, that the flow of latex 

 may be temporarily stimulated by apply- 

 ing nitrate of scda. It now remains for 

 the planters to determine the exact 

 economy of the method by applying it on 

 a large scale as scon as rubber trees 

 become mature." 



Such results should, and probably 

 will, encourage planters of all varieties 

 of rubber, Hevea, Castilloa, Funtumia, 

 etc-, to try the effects of nitrate of soda 

 on their yields. When they do so we 

 trust that they will favour us with the 

 results of their experiments. " Iropical 

 Life, March, 1910, (p. 53.) 



Saps and Exudations. 



RELATIONS BETWEEN THE COM- 

 POSITION OF THE LATEX OF 

 HEVEA BRASILIENSIS AND 

 THE TAPPING. 



(W. R. Tromp de Hass, in Ann. Jard. 

 Bot. Buitenzorg 8 Suppt-, p. 443. 

 Abstracted by J. C. Willis.) 



Analyses of a considerable series of 

 tappings show that (as we already knew) 

 the amount of solid matter in the latex 

 diminishes, often to the extent of 30%, 

 that the proportion of non-combustible 

 and nitrogenous matter increases, and 

 that the method used (two were tried) 

 has a certain influence. 



OILS AND FATS. 



THE DRYING OF COPRA. 



(By A. Dommes. Das Trocknen der 

 Kopra, in Der Tvopenpflanzer, 

 June 1910, p. 288, Abstracted 

 by J. C. Willis.) 



Much less price is paid for copra that 

 is discoloured or that smells of smoke, 

 for it cannot be used for making butter 

 without considerable expense. 



The kernel of the freshly opened nut is 

 wet with coconut milk, which is a fruit- 

 ful cause of mould and of darker colour- 

 ation. The first stage of drying, there- 

 fore, requires a fairly high temperature, 

 say 60-70°O. (130°-158*F.) or higher. When 

 the outer moisture has disappeared and 

 the flesh is a little dried the temperature 

 may be lowered to 50° (122°F.) but not 

 below, and this temperature must be 

 maintained till the copra is at least half 

 dry. To remove the last moisture, the 

 temperature must be once more raised, 

 and the copra must be cooled in an airy 

 room. 



For such treatment sun heat is un- 

 satisfactory, and artificial heat is re- 

 commended. This also, we may remark, 

 leads to much more uniformity in the 

 sample, a very desirable result. 



Cutting nuts from the trees with a 

 long pole is not lecommended, as many 

 unripe ones are sure to be gathered. 



Copra drying should be undertaken 

 immediately after the opening of the 

 nuts, and should be finished in 24 hours. 



In experiments in New Guinea 4438 nuts 

 gave a ton of copra. Freshly cut kernels 

 gave 62* 7% of dry copra; 



Dry coconut shells form the best fuel. 



CITRONELLA OIL, 



(From the Semi- Annual Report of 

 Schimmel & Co., April, 1910.) 



The shipments of Ceylon Citronella 

 oil from Galle in the year 1909 reached 

 the record, totalling not less than 

 1,512,084 lbs., that is to say about 235,000 

 lbs. more than in the previous year. 

 The excess in shipments took place 

 chiefly during the summer-months and 

 as a result the prices receded to nearly 

 lid. per lb. The forecast of the course 

 of the market in this article, which 

 we gave in our October Report, has 

 therefore proved true. At the present 

 moment (beginning of March) the re- 

 ports are that the market is rather 

 slack at a value of Hid. cif. 



The supplies during the time under 

 review occasionally left much to be 

 desired in the matter of quality. This 

 led to several claims in London, in the 

 settlement of which our opinion was 

 invited. It would lead us too far to 

 enter into details on the matter here 

 and it will be sufficient to record the 

 fact that as a result of these claims the 

 question of the introduction of a more 

 stringent test to take the place of our 

 " Schimmels Test," which, though it has 

 proved its usefulness, no longer meets 

 the present needs, has again become a 

 matter of importance. 



In Java citronella oil the offers far 

 exceed the requirements. It appears 

 that the plantations have again been 

 increased out of all proportion, and it is 

 therefore not surprising that over-pro- 

 duction, from which the article suffered 

 some years ago, is again making itself 



