112 TlMEHRI. 
juice of the bullet tree {Mimiisops balatd). For many 
purposes this is an admirable substitute for caoutchouc, 
and as it may be had in almost unlimited quantity 
in the colony a large trade might be done in it. 
As a matter of fact a trade in it was started, 
and grew to very considerable proportion. A ready 
sale was found for the substance ; and then the 
trade suddenly ceased. The cause of this cessation 
lay in certain well-intentioned but mistaken proceedings 
of the then well-known colonist, Sir William Holmes. 
The juice of the bullet tree is collected in a fluid state, 
very much resembling milk in colour and consistency, but 
when exposed to the atmosphere the outer layer of this 
milk hardens. This harder part being collected and 
pressed into shape, a new layer is allowed to harden, and 
is then treated in the same way. Thus a mass of hard- 
dened balata is gradually obtained ; and in this state 
it is exported. But this process of hardening is slow. 
Sir William Holmes, knowing that the milk hardens 
much more quickly when alcohol is added to it, induced 
the balata collectors to adopt this method of accelerating 
their work. Unfortunately balata when hardened by aid 
of alcohol, loses its most valuable quality, that of 
elasticity. The buyers in the European market finding 
the quality of the balata so much degenerated refused 
to purchase. So the trade ceased, and it is only now 
reviving in some small degree. 
As an illustration of the character of balata, the 
following story is not without interest. The milk is not 
unpalatable, and is frequently drunk by the collectors. 
On the Canje Creek where it is collected more abun- 
