The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1907-10-18
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ed felt sure that there was no further
use in continuing the experiment"
Just before breakfast was served Q.
Q. Bradford, OF the L. s. Experiment
Station tapped one OF the largest trees
which had been left by Mr.. Howell.
when he cut down his first rubber
grove and the members of the party
gathered round TO watch the operation.
The result was quite successful, in a
few minutes enough latex being COL
lecCed 10 form a ball OF rubber the
size Of & mans thumb.
TAPPING TREES.
In tapping the tree the first thing
done by Mr.. Bradford was to clear the
bark from the trunk for a space ex-
tending from about seven feet in height
TO the ground and about ten inches
in width. The bark was very light and
easily removed with a small knife. The
next move was 70 bind around the tree
a sack made Of rough canvas, with
several small pockets. These pockets
were filed with solution Of ammonia
and water, which slowly trickled down
the trunk Then starting from the top
Mr.. Bradford drew a small instrument
down the trunk In doing this he cut
q three cornered channel down the
trunk The Iatex followed the cut,
coming slowly and being caught by
a small scOopshape piece Of tin which
was stuck in the tree near the ground
and which led the milky fluid. which
had become mixed with the ammonia
Solution -Tr1. . small
Mr. Bradford explained that the am
monia was used 10 keep the latex from
Coagulating and thus stopping the
flow. The cut, which had been made
and which penetrated only the bark
and did not touch the trunk OF the
tree, was cleaned out several times
by Mr.. Bradford and a renewed now
followed After about ten minutes Mr..
Bradford ceased his work, which had
taken long enough TO allow the coIIec-
ton Of perhaps half a cup full of Iatex
and solution 10 gather, and proceeded
TO show the party how the rubber was
formed.
THE RUBBER RESULT.
He poured a small quantity OF acetic
acid into the receptacle and then be-
gan 10 stir the fluid. Slowly the parti-
cles Of rubber began 10 collect on the
stick with which he stirred and in a
few minutes e small ball Of white rub
Der was formed 1t was elastic and
when formed into string was evil
IDENTIFY rubber Of good quality.
When the tree which was tapped at
this time was seven years old it was
tapped and q pound and a half Of
rubber was taken from it The tree
lacks two inches Of being five feet
IN circumference and appears 20 be
very strong and healthy in condition
in spite Of the fact that the trunk was
very much SCARED from the fact that
it was located almost on q trail and
had evidently been cut by great
many passers by.
According 70 Mr.. Bradford the best
time TO tap a tree is at between mid
night and sunrise as the heat Of the
sun prevents the latex from flowing
readily The trees may be tapped
when they have reach size Of twenty
inches in circumference and the usual
custom Is TO tap for about nine days
in succession
After breakfast a second tree. THIS
time one which was planted three
years ago and which has grown To a
height OF twenty-five feet and a cir
cumference OF nineteen inches was
chosen The same process which has
been noted was used and the flow was
very satisfactory. The yield in rub
ber from the smaller tree, however.
was not as large as il had been in the
older one
THE PARTS TRANSPORT.
During breakfast the natives from
al around the Nahiku and Hanz r.
gfon kept coming in with saddle horses
and wagons TherE we're sixty mem
hers Of the party to be transported
through the various plantations. and
K was quite tax On the resources Of
the inhabitants OF Nahika and Hama 70
supply good mounts for all The first
squad were mounted and away By 7.s5
and started OF Z long trip covering