4. NATIVE COAGULATING JELUTONG 33 5. TAPPING A RUBBER-VINE, BELGIAN CONGO 40 6. (1) TAPPING RUBBER-VINE; (2) EXTRACTING GUTTA-PERCHA, NEW GUINEA 43 7. BALATA BLEEDERS LEAVING SPROSTONS’ STELLING AT ROCKSTONE, BRITISH GUIANA 46 8. (1) CEARA RUBBER-TREE IN CEYLON; (2) PARA RUBBER-TREES, TWENTY-SEVEN MONTHS OLD, CEYLON 57 9. (1) WEEDING YOUNG RUBBER IN MALAYA; (2) LOADING RUBBER IN MALAYA 64 10. (1) PARA RUBBER SEEDS AND PODS; (2) TAMIL COOLIE PLANTING RUBBER 67 11. CARRYING LATEX TO FACTORY, IN MALAYA 70 12. TAMIL WOMAN TAPPING RUBBER-TREE UNDER SUPERVISION OF A KANGANY, ON A CEYLON ESTATE 81 13. MAKING RUBBER BISCUITS 83 14. MAKING CRÊPE RUBBER ON A CEYLON ESTATE 86 15. SAMPLING BOLIVIAN RUBBER AT BULL WHARF, LONDON 88 16. TAKING LATEX TO THE FACTORY BY BULLOCK-CART IN MALAYA 76 RUBBER CHAPTER I THE ROMANCE OF RUBBER There is a wish that has so taken possession of us that it is beginning to make our hearts ache. Happily, we are living in the everything-is-possible days of Once Upon a Time. Directly that wish begins seriously to worry us, Mother Witch realizes that here is a case in which her services are needed, and forthwith she hurries to our midst to see what she can do to make us happy and content. “Carry us away on your broomstick,” we beg, “to some new land, where we can see people using something which we know nothing whatever about at present, but which will one day bring to pass a great revolution throughout the whole wide world.” Says Mother Witch: