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throughout the tree, it is not possilbe to drain all the latex by tap 
ping only a small area of the bark, as is the case with the Hevea. 
The tree has, therefore, to be cut down in order that the whole 
tree, including the branches and twigs, may be tapp^' 3 The roots 
also, which often project above the ground, are tapped. 1 am told 
that it takes as much as 15 days for the whole of the latex to exude 
from the tree. The latex is collected first in small cups placed 
to receive it, and subsequently is poured into a suitable vessel, or 
sometimes into a trough cut in the tree itself or into a hole made 
in the ground. A small quantity of soap solution is added to it to 
produce a more rapid coagulation. The juice of a creeper named 
“ Vitelha” is generally added for the same purpose. 
When the latex has coagulated, which takes some days, the mass 
is taken out and caucho " Slabs ” are thus formed. Caucho “ Balls 
are made by rolling up strips of the coagulated latex that has 
exuded from cracks in the bark. By common accounts an average 
caucho tree will yield from 30 to 40 lbs. of caucho including the 
scraps. 
Owing to the fact that the trees are cut down and destroyed, the 
collectors, or “ Caucheros” as the are called, are constantly moving 
about to discover fresh trees. Whereas at one time nearly all 
the caucho came from Peru, it is now more extensively worked on 
the Javary. During 1899 a large amount was also received fiom 
the Purus. The actual work of exploring and tapping caucho trees 
is still done chiefly by Peruvians even in Brazil, the Brazilians pre- 
ferring to work the hevea. 
PARA RUBBER IN THE STRAITS 
SETTLEMENTS. 
To the Editor of 
The India Rubber World : 
A few weeks ago I posted you a copy of the Annual Report of 
the Botanic Gardens in this Colony, containing, among other 
rubber notes, the result obtained by tapping a single Para Rubber 
tree (Hevea Brasiliensis) growing in the Waterfall Botanic Gar- 
den, Penang. The result of four tappings within two years, as. 
shown in that report, is i2^ pounds of dry, marketable rubber. 
Within the past month the same tree has been again tapped, and 
yielded over 2 pounds more, so that this one tree has given 14^ 
pounds, without being excessively tapped. How long it will con- 
tinue to yield at this rate is a matter of conjecture, but so far as 
can at present be seen there has been no apparent injury to the 
tree. I am sending you by post a sample of the rubber and shall 
esteem it a favour if you will kindly submit it to some expert en- 
gaged in the manufacture of rubber goods for an opinion as to its 
quality and value. . 
In a few years’ time this will be a large article of export from this 
region, and also what is known here as “ Gutta rambong (Ficus 
elastica.) Many large plantations here and in the adjoining 
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