( s ) 
Climbers, or small trees in’ contact with the tree 
from which collecting is to be done, are used 
wherever possible. Where these are not available, 
the collector may use a pole or he may use his axe 
or chopping knife to make a foothold at intervals. 
Oftentimes he uses a length of rattan passed around 
the tree and around his bo'dy. In any event he 
j manages to climb the tree. This is difficult and 
dangerous work and it is often difficult to find men 
who are willing to do it. With whatever method 
is used, the collector makes a number of incisions 
in the bark and wood of the tree and branches. 
From these incisions the fluid resin flows and 
collects, gradually thickening and hardening. After 
about three months the resin has solidified and 
hardened sufficiently to be ready for collecting, when 
the collector again climbs the tree, removing the 
hardened resin and freshening up the surface of the 
cuts so that more resin may flow. The collecting 
may be done repeatedly, at intervals of three or 
four months. It seems that the collecting may go 
on indefinitely without any serious damage to the 
tree, if the work is carefully done. It is important 
that the cuts shall not be too rough nor too deep. 
A rough cut means that a dirty and impure product 
will be obtained, and a deep cut means damage to 
the tree. The collected resin is taken to a central 
place and hand sorted by Malay women into com- 
mercial grades. In Singapore, the sorting i% done 
by Chinese, and discoloured pieces are scraped or 
r split- and freed from impurities and discolourations. 
The grades recognized by the Forest Department 
are pale, which is made up of very clean and light- 
coloured pieces, brings a price of $70 to $90 per 
pikul, and makes up 23 per cent: of the total amount 
collected: yellow, which is like the last except that 
IM° 
