109 



Saps and Exudations. 



The following are the re-measurements taken on 12th inst : — 

 No. 596 (pollarded) 35f 1904 34" gain If 

 No. 597 (not pollarded) 35" „ 31" „ 4" 



597 suffers in the re-measurement as the top of the 3 ft. stick meets the full 

 herring-bone, and there is consequently considerable loss in girth over the pared 

 surface. Of course, there is latex in the pollarded tree, but it is too busy apparently 

 with its foliage and extra branch growth above to attend to our full requirements 

 below. The leaves after pollarding were remarkable for their size. This is not so 

 now; appearances are more normal. This experiment is enough for the present, 

 so far as old trees are coucerned, and your Scientist's undertaking will be 

 watched with much interest. If your Scientist by the above method is able to 

 make his Hevea clearings grow to meet the best tapping requirements, then 

 indeed we have much to thank liini for. I think generally our experience does not 

 bear him out. How often have we tried, all of ns probably, to make a young tree 

 fork, and how often has the single shoot only been the result? After damage 

 by animals, as many as a dozen times, yet the single shoot only has returned. If 

 for some reason or other the tree dies back, then you get your side branches. 

 Your Scientist may have hit the right spot at 12—15 feet, but I should like to 

 inquire if he has persuaded the majority, or any, of his 18—24 months young trees, 

 with single stems, to throw out branches before nature is ready to do so ? If he 

 has been so far successful a very important step has been gained. I submit, 

 however, the probability of gaining more " later branch growth," " an increased 

 amount of foliage," with a forced and increased tapping area with latex, has not 

 yet been proved, nor can be for some time. So that when yonr Scientist puts 

 forward " Pollarding " as a practice to be adopted, and to be urged on Planters in 

 such forcible language as that contained in your articlte under reference, I consider 

 he makes a very dangerous mistake. There is nothing at present to Avarrant 

 such advice, and the arguments put forward are rather against than in favour 

 of the supposition. 



On page 21 of " Hevea Brasilieusis or Para Rubber," the argument there 

 that we pollard Tea for branch growth and flush cannot be quoted in favour 

 of pollarding Hevea trees for tapping' surface and latex. "Wound response" 

 and the result of my own little experiment leads me to think that the more 

 forced foliage, the less latex and non-increase of tapping area. We know, too, 

 that tapping has upset the credited wintering season. Trees can now be found 

 wintering all the year round. One other point would be— does not the total tapping 

 area of the long thin stem equal that of the short thick one ? I rather think it is 

 the higher tapping difficulties that we have to overcome and to which our 

 attention should be given. Mr. Wright in his book published in 1905 speaks of 

 pollarding as something to be tried. Sufficient time since this book was published 

 has not elapsed to put pollarding forward to the whole tropical world in the 

 form your article implies. 



It is estimated in the Straits that the shavings from 100 coolies' work will 

 give about 25 lb. dry rubber. 1 am inclined to think that the paring to produce 

 this must be rather thicker than that done on carefully worked estates in Ceylon. 

 There is no doubt about the rubber being there, and if your Scientist will send along 

 some of his shavings I will let him know results. My figures are not final, but expe- 

 rience shows that from 100 lb. shavings some 7—8 lb. dry rubber only can be 

 extracted. One cooly's shavings would hardly be | of a pound. The machine used 

 is a rubber washer— two rollers driven at different speeds under a stream of water. 



To no one are our thanks more due than to those gentlemen, our Scientists, 

 who are daily plodding along, for our ultimate benefit, with keen interest and 

 determination to solve our latest agricultural problems, and to prepare results 



