Balata and the Balata Industry. 211 
through a sieve. Like almost everything else used in the 
trade the sieves are made on the spot, an old tin sauce- 
pan or preserved meat tin with holes punctured in the 
bottom is often employed for the purpose ; or a bit of the 
matted, woven-like, fibrous covering which encloses the 
leaves of the cocoanut in their early growth is obtained 
from a tree near by instead. The majority of the col- 
lectors and agents do not however strain it at all, and 
are satisfied by simply clearing out with their hands the 
larger bits of bark and other rubbish, as, locally, the 
same price is paid for balata whether the milk from 
which it was made, was strained first or not. Though 
Dr. HUGO Muller speaks favourably of the pure state, 
compared with guttapercha, in which balata reaches the 
market, I have no doubt that it would pay the exporters 
yet more to give attention to this matter, and insist on 
their agents purchasing or drying for them only perfectly 
clean balata, for any impurity must unfavourably affect 
the market price; but, under the circumstances, the col- 
lectors can hardly be blamed or regarded as unscrupulous 
for not caring what the matter is that makes up the bulk 
of their milk, or the weight of their balata, so long as 
they can plead that its presence is unavoidable in any 
system of collecting, and the purchasers take no ex- 
ception to it. Nor can this be regarded as adulteration. 
Adulteration is, however, systematically carried on, and 
the agents have to be at all times on their guard against 
it. Not infrequently they have been deceived, and found 
themselves, when the balata was dried, twenty-five per 
cent, out of pocket by it, if indeed some of it was any 
value to them at all. Occasionally it takes a form in 
the hands of a wily collector that they cannot detect. 
BB 2 
