Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-08-11
Gathering India. Rubber.

Of all the resins so abundantly yield
ed by the somber and luxuriant forests
of the tropics, caoutchouc is by far the
most important, for so wonderfully is it
adapted for the needs and uses Of civil
lization that nothing can take it's place.
Different societies OF arts have attempt
ed to increase the worlds supply of in
d%ia-rubber by offering great rewards for
new sources of supply, but the worlc
has still to depend on caoutchouc, the
native forests of which appear to be
nearly ineNhaustible. Caoutchouc, Or
dinarily known as india-rubber, is a
substance found in the milky juices of a
great variety Of tropical trees, the most
remarkable being the cachucu, native
to Brazil and Centeral America. Some
times, in the more lightsome spaces Of
the caoutchouc forests, the traveller
comes upon the camps of the seringuei-
ros, as the india-rubber gatherers are
called.
The time of operation is just at the
beginning Of the dry season. Holes are
chopped in the bark, and the milky sap
is carried through conduits of bamboo
into clay bowls. When these are full, a
bandage is tied over the wound, to pre-
vent the precious sap from wasting.
After a sufficient quantity has been
gathered to fill a great bowl of turtle
shell. the new operation of smoking the
sap begins without delay.
An earthen jar, without bottom, and
with a narrow neck to serve as a CHM
ney, is set over a fire of palm nuts of a
peculiar variety. The smoke of these
nuts furnishes the peculiar chemical
element needed, shared by no other
fuel. The vapor instantly coagulates
the %caoutchouc sap until it resembles
rich yellow cream. Travellers de-
scribe the operation, which is usually
performed at night, as peculiarly pic
turesque. The somber depths Of the
tropical forest in the background,
lighted up by the glow of the flame, the
tawny Indian bending over the thick
smoke which rises like a column, his
copper skin glistening with the heat,
and brought out in clear relief by the
light of the fire, while he anxiously
watches the process of coagulation-
the picture is as ifone We're viewing the
strange rites of some sorcerer Of old
myth, or fairy tale, brewing a magic
potion or weaving a spell to call ma
Ign spirits from below.
From his calabash the scringueiro
pours a little of the %caoutchouc milk on
a light wooden shovel, distributing the
viscid fluid deftly over the surface, to
insure a uniform action of the smoke.
Thrusting the shovel into the thick va
por over the neck of the jar, he twirls
it with great rapidity till the milk con-
solidates and assumes the whitish yell
low tinge which denotes the close of
the process. In this way he puts layer
on layer till the caoutchouc on both
sides of the shovel reaches several
inches in thickness. 1t is then cut off
and suspended on a tree. When it feels
the effect of the sun the water all evap-
crates, and the pores become solid,
while the color changes to the we'll
known dark brown of rubber, as it is
exported.-"A World Of Wondess."
1t having been reported that Mrs.
A. i. Stewart possesses about $50, O0U,-
600 in United States bonds, it has been
calculated that she has to work eight
hours a day for two weeks to cut off
her quarterly coupons. 1t would be
time protitably spent, but undoubtedly
her bonds are registered, and it takes
no more time to collect the interest
II =, : <J~D. k>- x-L -I--1