Report of Society's Meetings. 159 
Berbice, Canje, Mahaicony and Pomeroon distri6ls. The 
trees reach a height ot about loo feet, and a diameter of 
from three to four feet, yielding a hard, heavy and durable 
wood. In general appearance, size for size, they are not 
unlike the sapodilla trees, to which they are closely 
related. 
To obtain the milk, a series of oblique right and left 
cuts along the trunk, leading to a central perpendicular 
channel, is made, to the bottom of which a small clay 
cup or tin is fastened to catch the milk as it runs. The 
cuts should be carefully made so as not to damage the 
tree, and if properly done, they heal up within the space 
of about four years when the tree may again be tapped. 
As the milk runs but for a short ttme, the quantity ob- 
tained at such bleedings is comparatively small, and it 
has recently been proposed that the edges of the gashes 
should be sliced off daily for a few days, by which larger 
supplies are obtained, care being taken not unduly to 
drain the tree so as to cause its death. Experiments in 
Penang on Para rubber trees have shown that b}? this 
means larger and larger quantities of milk are obtained 
for several days, and it is likely that this method is appli- 
cable in all cases of rubber produ6lion. 
The separation of the rubber from the watery milk is 
pra6lised in many different ways : as for instance by dry- 
ing in the sun, by artificial heat, by chemical precipita- 
tion, and latterly, it has been proposed, by centrifugal 
machines. It is claimed that the purest result is ob- 
tained by the last method; but hitherto artihcial heat has 
been chiefly in vogue, and has generally been produ6tive 
of the most satisfa6lory results. The balata industry in 
the colony has been greatly extended recently, more 
than 330,000 lbs. having been exported last year, though 
the amount fiu6luates considerably from year to year. 
Of the native tree? yielding india rubber proper, but 
little is really know 11. It is certain that several trees are 
to be found over the colony generally, of many different 
species, that yield rubber — presumably of commercial 
importance — but up to the present, little has been done 
to exploit this probable source of wealth. From the 
reports published by Mr. G. S. Jenman, Superintendent, 
1 
