The daily gazette., 1881-01-03
A BOUNDING INDUSTRY.

INDIA RUBBER PRODUCTION AND
HOW II is CARRIED ON, AS DE-
sCRIBED By A NATIVE.
The following description of
the India rubber tree, and of the
manufacture of India rubber, was
written by Col. A. r. Berrira Labra,
an enterprising merchant of Rio Pu-
rus and also member Of house of
deputies of the province Of Amazonas
who has published it IN pamphlet
form and was condensed by a cor
respondent of the Boston Journal,
from which paper it is again repro
duced in The Pioneer Press
The "Seringneira" is a tall, per-
pendicular tree with little foliage,
growing and thriving on low land
In a dense forest Of perpetual verd-
ure. 1t attalns a hight of from
twenty to forty n etres and dame
ter of about one metre but generally
less. The leaf at distance looks
like that of the 'Moniva" on ac-
count of its length, division and
color. Il falls during the month of
September, the summes season, but
after fifteen days the tree is clothed
with new foliage. The seed is very
similar to that of the "Mamona, !"
but smaller and contains oil of the
same nature. The sap of the tree is
as white as and of about the con-
sistency Of very rich milk or very
poor cream, and from this is pre-
pared by and of the smoke of burn
ing "do coco" (dried palm nut) an
elastic substance we'll known
throughout Europe and America as
India RUBBER" but called here
"Borracha'' Ia leathern bottle) on
account of the form it takes as pre-
pared for market. An infnity OF
uses and application for this material
and the products Of its manufacture
gives rich and valuable return to
the producer, and a constantly in
creasing demand tends to sustain
the high price ruling in the principal
markets of Europe and America as
well as at Para. Its extraction and
preparation may DE considered even
to-day a new industry, as we'll as an
inexhaustible source of wealth.
The rivers Madeira, Juvua, Xinqua
and Purns, as well as other afiuents of
the Amazon, have been already ex-
plored and worked to advantage. The
Purns, to the distance of 600 leagues,
with its many lakes and tributaries,
produce this tree abundanlly, aud it's
forests have been already explored for
the distance Of 900 miles. Each la
bOrer, man or woman, no matter
which, can collect daily from eleven
to thirteen pounds of fine rubber,
worth sixty-twO cents per pound and
enteen to twenty Two pounds. The
average production is about 1000
pounds to each person, but there are
men who have made double that
amount during the season. The dam
ger of destruction 10 this fountain of
wealth exists in the ignorance and
of the workmen, who Of
ten kill the tree by careless and ne
glectful tapping. Their employers
take no pains to prevent this, as they
pay nothing for the land or trees.
HOW THE SAP IS GATHERED.
At the beginning of the summer the
laborers commence to locate them.
selves among the seranges. Here on
the Purus this period is from the last
OF April until January, but the best
time is from May until September,
when the tree sheds its leaves. After
the new foliage starts the milk con-
tains much water, and the rubber, in
to the quantity of milk, is di-
two thirds of its ordinary
weight. In preparation tor and to IA
cilitate the collection of the laborers
make through the woods path called
''estrade," or a street, to the foot of
zach seringa tree, until they reach 80
10 100 trees, clearing all bushes and
other distractions around each. This
s done by large American knife, but
/ bush scythe would be better.
Having completed this work the labor |
,r places at the foot of each tree the |
little cups for collecting the milk called |
distributing usually from
hree to eight to each tres, according TO
ize, until 800 TO TOO "tingellnkasn have
,een disposed OF. He then makes six or
more slashes in the bark OF the tree
With large knife so that the sap will
lew. Some waste several days in this
which being completed on
he following morning they commence
he extraction of the milk. Between
be hours of Ave and six the workman
oes out ON his path with mach:duha
q very large knife), mass Of damp
nd plastic clay of the consistency Of
utiy, and a vessel or bucket in which
, collect and convey the milk to the
noker. Passing around the tree he
akes with bis knife oblique and down.
ard gashes from the corners of the
1rizontal ones made before, like the i
tier v, to lead the sap into the cup, G
hich he fixes a. the point of junction
lth a little of his wet clay, continuing
Q same operations with each tree on |,
path until he reaches the last. He
en- Immediately and very quickly re-
rms to the first, where, with his bucket
his arm, he proceeds to empty Into
the "tigelinkas" which are filed with
Tx, leaving them at the foot of the
70 or hanging TO a neighboring one,
Ill he has collected the milk from all
trees. Having done this he conveys
n haste to the smoker, who converts
nto rubber and then empties his
cket into q large zinc or earthen
lin.