| Show A now new source of rubber tho diE discovery covery of a new source of lagos go s rubber from froin a tree known to the mrs natives as the iro ire or I 1 dreb has baa given a great impetus to the trade of the west coast of africa in a rubber of remely extremely axt good quality the africana forms a tree 60 0 to 60 feet high with a trunk averaging 13 12 to 14 inches in diameter it is said to be one of the roost most beautiful trees of the forest and is ia capable of producing in a good season as much ns as from 10 to 15 pounds of rubber per tree for the purpose of extracting tr the rubber a deep vertical cut is made through the bark and several oblique cuts on each side running into the main channel at the base of which a vessel is placed to receive the exuding milk which is coagulated by allowing a quantity to stand for some days in a cavity made in the trunk of a tree so BO that the watery portion evaporates or boaks into the wood leaving the solid portion behind which is kneaded and pressed tog together geaber into a solid mass or the milk is placed in a vessel and boiled tho gubbei beginning to coagulate almost immediately heat beat is applied nature |
