and Magazine of the Ceylon Agricultural Society- 



591 



NEW SYSTEM OF TAPPING, 



Hevea and Ceara. 

 Messrs. Lee Hedges & Co. have issued a cir" 

 cular on this subject from which we quote : — 

 Colombo, Nov. 12th, 1908. 

 As a result of continuous experiments for some 

 time past, a new system of extracting Jatex from 

 Rubber Trees (more particularly Hevea and 

 Ceara) has been evolved for which the following 

 are the chief advantages claimed. 



1. Cost of Plant does not exceed that of any 

 other method in vogue. 



2. Extreme simplicity, obviating the neces- 

 sity for trained labour. 



3. By adopting this system it is possible to 

 secure from Young Trees (3 years old and up- 

 wards) which cannot under present conditions 

 be profitably tapped— a remunerative yield at a 

 low cost not possible by any other known method, 

 and with little or no damage as compared with 

 the best and most careful tapping practised 

 hitherto with skilled labour. 



4. Larger yield par cooly. One cooly, man 

 or woman, can cover at the very least twice as 

 much ground as by any other method. Conse- 

 quently, less than half the labour is needed to 

 secure more than the same quantity of latex 

 from any given number of trees. In some in- 

 stance!, as much as 3 times the ordinary yield per 

 cooly has been secured with ease, in less time. 



To sum up the main advantages are 



1. Simplicity. 



2. Reduction in cost of production. 



3. Little or no damage to the trees. 



4. Reduction in [labour force required. 



5. Quicker and increased returns. 



Dr. J C Willis, Director of the Botanic Car- 

 dens, Peradeniya, was invited to investigate the 

 system and express his opinion thereon— which 

 he has done in the following letter which we 

 are permitted to quote : — 



•'I have this morning seen 25 trees tapped by 



Mr 's new method, and 25 of about the same 



size tapped in double basal "Vs. The latter will 

 have to be pared tonight. The yield in the 

 former case was exactly double of that in the 

 latter, viz : 17 ounces of rolled wet sheet against 

 8£ ounces, and was obtained in about 2/3rds of 

 the time." 



"I consider that the new method, if used to 

 secure the same, or a moderately greater yield 

 per tree, is less harmful to the trees, especially 

 in the hands of an inexperienced cooly, than the 

 existing methods of tapping by v's. spirals, or 

 herring-bones, and it is well suited to young 

 trees." 



" Considering that 25 trees in 100 minutes 

 with one cooly yielded milk that gave 17oz. wet 

 Bheet (12 oz. dry) I see no need for any exces- 

 sive tapping. 3 tappings of a week each, with 

 intervals between provided that the yields are 

 approximately constant should yield as much or 

 more than by the existing systems." (Signed) 

 John C Willis, 



Director, Royal Botanic Gardens, 



27th October, 1908. 



It is proposed to make known this system on 

 payment of a Fee... 



Messrs F L Clements and Joseph Fraser, 

 whoso opinions as practical Planters and Visit- 

 ing Agents, it is thought will be generally ac- 

 ceptable, were invited and have kindly con- 

 sented to act in this matter, and it is understood 

 that all those subscribing will abide by their 

 decision, 



Directly a sufficient amount of support is as- 

 sured, Messrs Clements and Fraser will make a 

 practical test of the system under any conditions 

 they may wish to impose and in the event of 

 their verdict being favourable full particulars 

 and information, with a practical demonstration 

 of the process if desired, will be given to all sub- 

 scribers. Should however their opinion be ad- 

 verse the deposits will be at once returned as 

 mentioned previously. 



We may mention that the planter on whose 

 behalf this proposal is made, has fixed, as a 

 minimum limit of subscriptions, what must be 

 considered as a very modest aggregate amount, 

 in view of the benefits to be derived by the adop- 

 tion of his idea, not the least of which will be 

 the greatly reduced labour force as compared 

 with that at present required. 



ROSSES! SEED FOR OIL MANU- 

 FACTURING PURPOSES. 



Now that the demand for rubber seed is 

 diminishing, or rather the supply growing 

 more abundant, growers may be thinking of 

 utilising what seed they have, to obtain the by- 

 product of oil. Any such should first read the 

 letter we quote from the Malay Mail. It is 

 argued, with figures, that the production of 

 rubber seed oil is far less profitable than Mr 

 Carruthers has made out. The demand for 

 rubber seed according to the Singapore Botanic 

 Gardens — has not decreased at all in the tropics 

 generally. Our remark on the natural decrease 

 of demand of late, has reference rather to Ceylon 

 itself. In'this connection it is of interest to read 

 of recent success obtained by Singapore Gardens 

 with seed sont so far afield as British Guiana, 

 and the methods pursued in packing it. 



(To the Editor, "Malay Mail.'') 



Sir, — In his Report for 1907 Mr. Carruthers 

 states ''that a profit per acre, after paying all 

 expenses for picking, husking, etc., of at least 

 .$5 to $8 may be earned by estates with trees 

 in full lirst bearing." This statement — coming 

 from an authoritative quarter — should have been 

 supported by figures, as in the event of its 

 proving illusory it can only lead to disappoint- 

 ment and loss, through money being wasted 

 on machinery. Indeed a plant for crushing 

 rubber seed has already been imported, and 

 is likely to prove a white elephant to the pro- 

 prietor, as I contend that, under conditions 

 obtaining at present, it will not pay to pick 

 the seed for shipment to Europe f neither is 

 local crushing likely to prove remunerative. 



In support of my contention I will give 

 figures which have been carefully worked out, 

 and which I think are correct. The quantity 

 of rubber seed obtainable per acre cannot be 



