20 
The nett proceeds amounted to £6 1 Js. 6d., or $617.18. 1 believe 
this to have been the largest parcel of Para rubber sent home from 
the East. It realised 6d. per lb. more than that sent home in 189$, 
and was reported on as “ Para character”. 
The tapping commenced in March, 1899, and was carried on till 
July. It was intended to tap a few trees, those which ran most 
freely with a view of obtaining the maximum amount of latex with- 
out injury, and to obtain about 4 — 5 lbs. from other trees. This , 
much could have been done, but owing to the exceptionally heavy 
rains which frequently interrupted the work, and in order that the 
seed crop should not be damaged, tapping was stopped and with 
several trees long before completed. 
Altogether 82 trees were tapped with the following result : 
No. of 
Yield 
Total 
Note : — These figures are approximate. The 
per Tree, 
weight. 
weight has been computed from the number of 
tins of latex obtained from each tree. Three 
Tapped. 
dry Rub- 
dry Rub- 
ber. 
ber. 
hundred and twenty-two lbs. dry rubber was 
obtained from 485 tins of latex, giving an aver- 
age of io{£ ozs. per tin when dry. The tins 
: are 6 inches x 4 inches x 2 inches. 
1-3 
libs. ozs. 
0 IO.\ 
'lbs. ozs. 
i 8 81 
1 
| 
7 
6 
5 
12 
7 
5 
9 
1 5 
2 0 
2 IO 
3 5 
4 0 
4 10 
5 5 
1 9 3 
j 13 O 
13 2 
1 39 1 3 
28 0 
23 2 
47 13 i 
Average age of trees' 14 years. 
s 
6 0 
30 0 | 
j 
2 
6 10 i 
: 
13 4 j 
- 
i 
Present girth at 3 feet from the ground. 
ft. ins. ! 
t 
1(6 9 V 
3 
7 5 
21 15 
<6 1 > ■ Measured 18 months. 
( 6 1) ! 
2 
S 0 
16 0 
(5 3 > 1 After ta PP in £- 
< 5 6 ( ; 
l 5 3 1 1 
2 
| 8 10 
17 4 
1 
! 9 5 
9 5 
7 3 
1 
] 1 0 0 
: 10 0 
7 1 1 
1 
[10 10 
i 10 10 
7 4 
1 
i 
12 u 
12 1 .v 
6 0 
- i 
Total... 
I 82 
... 
1 
I322 00 
! 
1 
To this should be added 19 lbs. scrap, i e., rubber collected on 
the trees, making a total yield of 341 lbs., or an average of four 
and one-fifth lbs. per tree. 
The average age of trees tapped is 14 years, taking the yield at 
4 lbs. per tree, and estimating the trees at 100 to the acre, this 
would give a gross return of £'} 3. 6s. Sd. at present prices, or at 
half the price, £36. 13s. 4 d., and what other tropical product gives 
the same return ? If the trees were only half this age, say 6—7 
