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South India point of view was the fact that rubber grown at a 
height of over 3,000 feet took the first prize. 
That Hevea would grow at these elevations was known but the 
marketable value of the rubber produced from trees grown there 
had not been proved. The tree 4 from which the prize rubber was 
taken were about than twenty years old so that they might have 
been expected to give a good quality of rubber but to get the first 
prize was a fine testimony to the value of the rubber produced on 
the hills. 
Not so much light was thrown on the question of best methods 
of extraction of latex from the tree by the exhibition as in other 
directions. However a large series of knives and prickers were 
exhibited and submitted by the judges to a series of practical tests. 
The judges wisely drew up a careful list of the “ points ” which 
should be considered in awarding marks to each knife. While 
efficiency for its purpose is of the greatest importance, the stern 
requirements of work on an estate, make any knife which is not 
cheap and simple of little practical value. The knives which 
received the two chief awards were the “ Northway ” and “ Miller- 
Macadam ” the latter having advantages over the former but being 
to some extent an adaptation of it! The principle of a guiding 
pointer or runner (like the end of a sleigh runner) which keeps the 
knife in the grove, is the chief point in both knives and the fact 
that, especially, in the Miller-Macadam knife the edges can be easily 
sharpened is of value. A good many very ingenious and effective 
knives were exhibited, which in the hands of a European planter or 
a skilled and careful native could do more perfect work than the 
simpler weapons but their more or less complicated adjustment 
and the fact that carelessly used great damage could be done, was 
against them as a suitable tool for coolie labour. 
The tools that were exhibited as prickers ” were in nearly all 
cases not prickers but revolving or stationary knives with spaces, 
and in some cases more than 50 per cent, of the surface was cut. 
That the cambial tissues of the tree can recover from the injuries 
of these weapons as easily as from the knife cutting on one plane 
requires to be proved. No pricker bas yet been put on the market 
which makes a prick or pointed puncture and if it was it is probable 
that the small amount of latex extracted would discourage its use. 
There were not so many new machines for the preparation of 
latex as perhaps might have been expected. To take them in 
the order of the process of converting la,tex into market rubber; 
the centifugal filtering machine of Mr. Macadam gave excellent 
results and will be of great use where large quantities of latex have 
to be dealt with. The latex is poured into the top of the machine 
passes by centifugal force through a muslin bag and flows out as 
rapidly at the bottom free from all dirt. 
Mr. Kelway Bamber's centrifugal cleaning machine, which as 
well as the former obtained a medal, effected a still higher standard 
of purity. It is possible that some very minute grains of sand may 
