13 



Saps and Exudations. 



per tree ; those tapped every day gave far less. But the worst feature of this 

 is that the trees tapped every day have hardly any bark left, and even if such 

 frequent tapping had given as much rubber as tapping every alternate day, the 

 loss of bark alorie would have been against tapping every day. 



THE PRICKING SYSTEM. 



Mr. Hunt :— Don't you think the pricking system is the best thing 

 in cutting open the wounds ? 



Mr. Wright .-—It is a difficult question. I am a strong believer in incision 

 instead of excision. The extraction of latex has very little effect on the trees. 

 In fact the majority of the plants grow well without any latex. It is the paring 

 away of the bark that does the damage. It is only when we cannot get more 

 milk by pricking that we pare away the bark. 



Mr. Hunt : — The question of cost per lb. comes in with us. 



Mr. Wright : — That may be so ; but I think the consideration should be how 

 much you can get per square foot from the bark. 



Mr. Hunt :— Three lb. in 6 months would be better than 6 lb. in 9 months 



to us. 



Mr. Wright :— In some of the experiments we have got approximately one 

 ounce of rubber per square inch of bark removed, but we only get such high yields 

 when the bai'k is removed slowly. We get it by incision not excision. By paring 

 instead of pricking we have got in some cases yields nearer one ounce per square 

 foot instead of one ounce per square inch. It is better to allow the bark to remain 

 on the tree for as long a period as possible rather than manufacture large yields 

 of rubber from shavings. 



pricking versus paring. 



Mr. Wright — replying to Mr. Jenkyns :— You are the persons to decide 

 whether a system of pricking or paring is best. 



Mr. Smith :— If I do not pare, when I put on the pricker, it simply sticks. 



Mr. Wright : — I was over an estate last week where they have these drip 

 tins. The Superintendent tapped some trees without using the tins, and nearly the 

 whole of the rubber coagulated in the cuts. Where the tins were used at the end 

 of two hours the water coming out was milky showing that the latex had not 

 stopped. There was no scrap in the cut and I was interested, in speaking to the 

 gentleman, to hear that he had reduced his scrap 75 per cent by using them. 



Mr. Smith :— It is a very big order to put them on. 



the left-hand and right-hand cut. 



Mr. Hunt :— Can you tell me if there is any difference between the left-hand 

 and the right-hand cut ? 



Mr. Wright :— I have recognised no difference whatever, so far as the yield 

 of rubber per square inch of bark is concerned. I think most people said they got 

 less by the left than by the right. 



Mr. Hunt :— Yes. 



Mr. Wright :— It is perhaps more difficult to cut that way. There is a 

 tremendous variation per square inch over every tree. 



THE VARIETIES OP PARA RUBBER TREES. 



Mr. Hunt :— Did not the man, who introduced Para rubber to Ceylon, bring 

 six different varieties ? 



