( 12 ) 
and the flow commences again, The process is 
continued until the flow ceases. The tapper carries 
a basket as he climbs, in which he keeps his tin cups 
and the collected gutta. 
it is very noticeable that considerably 
more gutta is obtained from the upper portion of 
the stem and from the branches than from the lower 
part of the stem 
In wet weather the latex flows much more freely 
than in times of drought, Early or late tapping 
has the same effect. The greater quantity of water 
present in the tree in the early morning keeps the 
gutta in a liquid state. As evaporation proceeds 
during the day the gutta thickens and eventually 
ceases to flow. It is, as might be expected, also 
noticeable that the flow is maintained till a later 
hour on dull and sunless days. From the foregoing 
it will be obvious that, to be successful, it is neces- 
sary that tapping should begin directly it is light 
enough for the tappers to work The tapping 
is usually finished by 11 a.m., and the gutta is then 
taken to the store and roughly cleaned, each tapper 
being responsible for his own collection. Before 
returning to the store the trees to be tapped the 
next day are selected and the ladders fixed to them, 
so that the early hours of the day may not be 
wasted. The cleaning process is effected by im- 
mersing the gutta in hot water, when it quickly 
becomes plastic, in which state it can be worked 
with the hands and the greater part of the bark 
and dirt removed. While soft it may be pressed 
into any convenient shape for storing. The cleaning 
process gives the gutta a very much better appear- 
ance, and it is also of advantage in that it puts it 
into a form in which less of its surface is exposed 
