432 
METHODS OF TAPPING, 
We are aware that methods which at the time of writing are 
obsolete were considered the best at the time of tapping ; a much 
favoured one being the Single Incision whose votaries claimed for 
it a maximum yield combined with simplicity of operation and 
other advantages. It was tried on different sized trees at different 
periods but only one result compares favourably with other 
methods which read as follows : — 
MuDE OF 
Incision. 
Aggregate 
GIRTH AT 
3 FT. FROM 
GROUND. 
Number . 
Of TREES 
TAPPED. 
Times 
Tapped. 
Total dry 
Rubber 
OBTAINED. 
Average 
YIELD 
PER 1 REE, 
j 
Interval 
OF 
T 4PPING. 
lbs. 
ozs. 
lbs. 
ozs. 
4 
Single 
Incision. 
21' or 
5 
15 
8 
3 
1 
7 
Daily. 
Herring 
Bone ... 
3/ *¥' 
10 
18 
14 
14 
1 
8 
Alternate 
days. 
Do. ... 
37 ni" 
10 
18 
14 
12J 
1 
7 i 
Do. 
Do. ... 
37 10" 
10 
24 
16 
1 
9 
Do. 
Do. ... 
37 4 i" 
10 
24 
i7 
si 
1 
11 
Do. 
Do. ... 
47 sr 
TO 
24 
21 
12! 
2 
2 
Do. 
Do. ... 
83 7 " 
15 
28 
33 
8 
2 
10 
Daily. 
The single incision is a quick method but the yield of dry 
rubber i lb. 7 ozs. per4ree was the maximum for the year (with- 
out removing an extravagant amount of bark) while by any of the 
other methods tried double the quantity night have been obtained 
by another period of tapping ; again, with the single incision, the 
trees do not recover well, and the bark is made difficult for any 
other method of tapping, and with us +he system has dropped out. 
All other methods of tapping differ from single incisions in 
the flow of latex, in the latter the flow is fairly uniform and the 
last tapping may be as much, if not the most, of any. In 'other 
methods the flow reaches a maximum yield about the 9th tapping 
which may be more or less maintained for 7 or 8 more tappings 
and then diminishes. In Experiment / trials were made with a 
modified herring-bone method with a view of ascertaining if the 
centre channel could be disposed of, as this being a vertical in- 
cision the wound does not heal well and shews a channelled de- 
pression for a much longer period than do oblique ncisions. Long 
