The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-05-31
GOING 4. RUBBER|NG
How That Wonderful Com
modify Is Harvested.
CURED IN A WOOD SMOKE
How the "Aviador" Grub
stakes the Poor Collector.

| Washington, May 3o.-In the forthcoming
volume Of Commercial Relations for 1898,
the most interesting report thus far pre-
pared for publica ton is that made by Con-
sui Kenneday at Para, Brazil, on the rub
Der industry. Mr. Kenneday treats of the
rubber-tree under the name 'fhevea," given
it by the French botanist Aublet, who
made the first scientific report upon it in
the latter part Of the last century. The
name by which it is most commonly known
in this country, "caoutchouc," is the one
applied to it by the Mama Indians. The
English name rubber grew out Of the
fact that an English artist in no discover
ed that a new gum which had been intro
duced into Europe from South America
was admirably adapted for rubbing out
| pencll-marks. Incidentally, it is interest
ing to know that he recommended the use
OF this substance on account of its cheap
ness, because piece a cubic inch in size
would last for years, and cost only three
smiling, seventy-five cents in our money.
Later in the same century rubber was
manufactured into waterproof clothing in
France. The Macintosh house in Man
chester, England, afterward went into the
manufacture of waterproof clothing on a
large scale, and the firm name still clings
to this class of garments everywhere in
Great Britain
The hevea tree is so inconspicous as to
pass unnoticed by strangers in the rubber
region, who are always looking for stalk
cyIa do RI foo
resembles the English ash more than any
thing else, and grows to be more than
sixty feet high. The bIossoming season is
in August, and the fruit ripens in Decem-
Der and January, but the seeds lose vitality
unless soon planted. The tree thrives best
on islands and low lands near rivers,
where the banks are periodically inundat-
ed. Neither ground that is always above
water, nor that which has no drainage. is
suitable. The hevea Will not grow salts
factorily on cleared or open ground, but
requires the shade of other trees and stin
air until it natures Under other condi-
tons the supply of milk is very much af-
fected indeed, the tree has been known TO
die soon after the clearing of the ground
around it. The Amazonian forests show
ing no signs of exhaustion, little if any,
artificial cultivation of the tree has been
attempted in that region. The hevea re-
quires about fifteen years to mature The
explored area known to produce pure Para
rubber is at least 1,500, 900 square miles,
and further exploration will probably ex-
tend these figures. One group of 200 trees
in favorable region yields three tons Of
rubber a year.
The collecting IN no H,77a
zon region begins when the water has SUBJ
sided, in July, and ends in January or Feb
ruary. The collectors employed are princi-
pally Brazlians, with some Portuguese
and half-castes, the native Indian being of
little use as a Iaborer. A collector carries
a wood-knife, an axe, large gourd, some
little cups, big clay bowl, and a few
minor utensils, usually made from the re-
sources OF the forest, and in a primitive
fashion. The knife is used to cut his way
through the underground, and to gather
fuel for the preparation of the rubber
The axe is required when he reaches a
ruDber-tree, and has to cut away the rough
parts Of the bark and make a small. clean
cash. through which the sap can flow. He
repeats this process in a line around the
tree, attaching below each cash a cup to
catch the sap. He puts six or seven cups
on one tree, and then proceeds to the next
and does the same thing. If the trees are
not too far apart ne may tap from 20 to 80
in a day. The tapping is usually done in
the morning, and the collection of the sap
in the evening, or vice versa; and the next
day another series of gashes are made in
each tree a triiie lower down than the first
The amount of rubber gathered daily diff
fers in different regions. In the lower
Amazon an expert can gather seven |
pounds in the upper Amazon three smee |
as much.
When he has accumulated enough Of the !
sap, or milk-usuaily in three or four days !
the collector builds a fire in a hut he mas |
erected in the meantime. and places over
the fame a clay funnel, in shape very |
much like a toilet Watering Without bot
tom or handle The fuel used for the fire |
is believed to have some virtues in curing |
the rubber. The nuts Of certain palms are |
considered the best fuel, but bark and !
twigs are used where these cannot be OBJ |
tanned. The sap having been gathered in |.
cups Of clay or tin attached TO the erees. /
mas been poured into the Sourd, which Is |
large and light enough to carry the con- !
tents of from 500 to 700 cups. The goUTd Is /
used because it is the lightest receptacle /
ol5tainable; but for more permanent stor- |
age. large clay bowls are provided. y /
broad-bladed wooden paddle OF local make /
is used as a mould. When the fire Is /
ready and the smoke ascending from the /
funnel, this paddle = given a thin coating /
Of the milk and held over the smoke TIL 1
the surface has coagulated; then a new 1
coating is put on, and this process 5 re- (
peated until a large cake IS formed. To 4
release the cake from the paddle, a sill :
made down one side As the paddle (
mouIds are uniform in sze and shape. me /
Para rubber collectors axe abe to market /
their product IN much more business-ike /.
condition. IN some other regions q spit IS
placed on two upright f7-ked sticks and .
given a rotary motion. This Is the easier
method Of curing rubber hJst The paddle
SIN 3ked article brings better prices The
process OF curing rubber : 50 injurious 20
the eyes that tota. blindness not i1t-e-
Quent]y results from ~ Many attempts
have been made 70 Introduce improved
curing apparatus. but thus far without
permanent success
As 70 -he PROFITS Of this Industry. NJ
Kennedy tsl's Is that the land owner pro