Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1893-03-24
The India Rubber Harvest.

cultivated orchards, but is taken
from the trees which grow wild in
low-lying areas or basins. Such
areas are a striking feature OF the
valley Of the Amazon. They are not
marshes, but are the perfect ana
logues OF the basins existing in the
food plain OF the Mississippi. The
rubber trees are found in the greatest
abundance along the tributaries and
the smaller streams which feed these.
At the beginning OF the rainy season
the long siesta at the fazenda comes
10 an end. Ii rubber trees exist in
sufficient abundance near at hand
the Indians and others who live In a
state OF dependency at the fazenda
are sent each day into the woods,
where they collect the milk aud bring
i; in To be- cured hut IL often hap
pens that Journeys OF several days or
a week must be made TO procure
plentiful supply. Ia this case great
canoes, sometimes forty feet in
length. are fitted out with provisions,
aud arrangements are made Tor
protractrd expedition. No elaborate
preparations are made for camping.
4 blanket and hammock for each OF
the whites. and a rude covering con
si>tinc OF sheets OF the fbrous inner
bark OF a tree for the Indians, several
| bags OF farina and rice, salt fish snG
a plentiful store OF cachaca, or rum OF
sugar cane, with arms aud ammunl.
ton. are considered q sufficient equip
ment When n site for camp has
! been selected the Indians can In half
a day construct a Palm-thatshed hut
for their abode which will prove Wa
| ter tight for week. The Rubber
trees being gregarious Ia habit. one
man can tap from forty to nifty In a
! day.
The whole party sallies forth In the
morning. each provided with
quantity OF little tin cups and mar
row bladed hstchet An incision,
merely penetrating the outer bark
being made with the latter instru.
ment, one OF the cups is attached
! beneath with bit OF m~istened clay,
! into which the thick white milk at
once begins TO now The rubler
gntherer passes from tree TO tree until
he has consumed half the day, after
which he collects tho milk from all
! the trees he In. tapped. This II
taken TO the camp where 1t is
| smoked Were tho milk allowed
! TO stand for a period OF twenty-four
hours or longer, it would thicken into
a coarse, granular, somewhat stringy
mass. which produces a very Inferior
manufactured rubber The coarse
material. known la Brazil ls.sernamby,
il often found hanging in great
huuchrs mon tho trees, where IL has
| oozed through crack In the bark, or
! from the end OF . fractured limb II
! however. the milk be- poured over n
wooden blade or round stick, and
| held for few moments In the dsnse
fumes from a fire OF certain palm
nuts. il is cosgulsted into the bnely
! elastic rubber with which all are IA
miliar.
A second coating OF milk il poured
! over the blade and similarly treated,
until the successive layers have made
a ball OF considerable size. La some
sections the habit IN To make the
balls. or pslles. from eighteen inches
10 two feet In diameter, a practice
which results in imperfections In the
smoking" and retards the subss-
quent drying OF the rubber. Defects
may readily occur in this curing pro-
cess by making the successive nd'
| dition. Of milk too thick, or as re-
suit OF Inequalities Ia the exposure OF
various parts OF the ball 70 the
smoke. Such deterioration 10 easily
di-covrrable by cutting the ball In
half. when it will reveal Itself by a
vesicular or granular condition of the
rubber, the occurrence OF which re-
ducrs the whole lump TO the middle
grade Centra hns). between the "hne
Para" and the "cosrse,' or sernsm-
by.
The nuts which, according TO native
experience. yield uniformly the best
results are those from the well known
palm InsJa This does not usually
grow ia great abundance la the
ghborhood OF the Heysas, ss that
the nuts Of the palm Urocury are
frequently substituted; and falling
al adequate supply OF these, resort Is
had to the nuts Of the palm known
as Uauassu pronounced wah-wahs-
soo) The rubber after being
smoked" Is still white, only becom-
ing black by prolonged exposure TO
,he air. It has, however, acquired its
characteristic elasticity, and an odor
exactly similar 10 that Of smoked
hams. The smoke from other nuts,
Or from simple wood fire, will not
nr,dncs the desired result So far as
| have been able to ascertain no
thorough chemical investigation has
been made TO identify the volatile
ingredient which accomplished this
remarks bls physical change Ia the
rubber. which, previous to curing. is
present in the sap a. al emulsion. A
study Of this pheoolnenon might lead
TO important notifications OF the
present treatment, for IL means
could be found TO cure the rubber o I
the Heyeas by the addition OF some
liquid or powder TO the milk, II
would not only prevent entirely the