204 TlMEHRl. 
posure to the air, it turns a dark brown externally, but 
when precipitated by spirit it remains white. 
When the milk is brought to the settlement by the 
collectors, it is poured into the shallow wooden trays I 
have described, or into barrels to be kept till trays are 
vacant. The trays are closely examined before being 
used to see that they do not leak. If dry they are soaked 
in water to close the joints, which are first on the outside 
stopped with the putty-like clay of the district. Inside, 
as before mentioned, a film of balata milk is dried over 
the seams. These operations make the trays quite tight 
and prevent any leakage. The surface is then rubbed 
over with oil, soap or grease, to prevent the milk sticking. 
The trays are made of various sizes as to length and 
breadth, but they are uniformly about the same depth, 
namely, four inches. They hold from five to thirty gal- 
lons. The drying houses I have already described. They 
are quite open around the sides, and the air has free pass- 
age through. The balata is sheltered only from sun and 
rain. The agents who purchase and dry the balata milk, 
who may be regarded as the manufacturers of the article, 
say that it dries better in the shade than when exposed to 
the sun. All the collectors who dry their own milk, how- 
ever, usually stand their trays, or other vessels used, out 
in the sun. Some casual collectors employ any kind of 
vessel to dry in, or they simply pour the milk out on the 
ground, first, however, brushing away the loose dirt, and 
then leave it till it is dry. The system practised by the 
agents in drying is this. The boxes are filled with milk 
to the rim, which is then allowed to stand undisturbed 
till the surface is sufficiently hardened to be lifted off. 
This, in fine weather, takes two or three days ; in wet 
