104 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[January i, 1907. 



their origin. More than this, being less trammeled by 

 precedent, perhaps, than is the rule in some countries, 

 the Americans have evolved their full share of new feat- 

 ures, not all of which have yet beeu adopted abroad, 

 so that it is not too much to say that they are ahead of 

 all competition. Buying raw materials in the same 

 market as their competitors, thej- nui.st pay higlier wages 

 for a shorter work day, and yet are able to produce goods, 

 in many lines, at practically the .same cost, if not less, 

 quality for quality. 



The new year opens with no sign of a less prosperous 

 era, which is a favorable prospect for the rubber trade. 

 The development of the country proceeds without abate- 

 ment, with emploj-ment for all who want it as a rule, and 

 with wages that enable everybodj' to buy. But if less 

 favorable conditions should in time prevail, leading to a 

 lessened demand for manufactured goods, it is our opinion 

 that in no branch would the ill effects be felt less acutely 

 than among the rubber men. 



A NEW LIGHT ON THE AMAZON. 



A GLOOMY view of the Amazon rubber .situation was 

 expressed by Governor Nery in his recent message 

 to the legislative at Manaos. In his message at the pre- 

 ceding session it had been pointed out that the increasing 

 production of rubber under cultivation constituted "a 

 great menace " to the continued value of the chief article 

 of export from the Amazon. This year the governor in- 

 dulges in even more serious forebodings, ba.sed upon facts 

 which he quotes regarding the planting of rubber in the 

 Far East and the quality of the product. He appears 

 particularly impressed with high prices paid for Ceylon 

 rubber, since the belief had always prevailed on the Ama- 

 zon that there could be no competition in the matter of 

 quality with the native product. 



The Manaos governor strongly urges action by the 

 state for a preventive measure against the results of out- 

 side competition. He would have experiment stations 

 established, for the improvement of methods of rubber 

 production in Brazil. But of equal importance, in his 

 opinion, is the development of agriculture along general 

 lines, in order that the prosperity of the state may not 

 longer depend upon a single interest. 



The governor at Para also deals with the rubber out- 

 look in his message to the .state legislature, but in a more 

 optimistic vein. He finds encouragement in the fact that 

 prices of Amazon rubber have not been affected by the 

 extensive planting in progress in the British colonies. 

 He calls the attention of rubber workers to the desirabil- 

 ity of following the example of other countries and trans- 

 forming the production of rubber into a .sy.stematic agri- 

 cultural interest. The planting of other crops, particu- 

 larly cacao and tobacco, is also recommended. Governor 

 Montenegro mentions in his message a book that is be- 

 ing prepared for circulation in his state, on the rubber 

 culture in Ceylon and elsewhere in the Far East. 



These references to rubber are among the most inter- 

 esting coming from any source in recent j'ears. Their 

 official character will compel attention and win respect 

 for them among the people for whom the}' are intended. 

 Doubtless northern Brazil's rubber interest will not be 

 placed upon a new basis for a good while j'et, but it 

 is something to have the people of tho.se states awak- 

 ened to the fact that they have no monopoly even 

 of " Para" rubber. There are still some people who 

 profess to believe that there is "nothing in rubber 

 planting," and the.se may regard as foolish the idea of 

 the governor at Para having a book prepared to teach 

 his people how rubber is planted on the other side of the 

 globe. But we prefer to welcome it as a sign of prog- 

 ress on the Amazon that in time will benefit the whole 

 rubber consuming interest. The world is not yet ready 

 to do without rubber from Brazil, and the world will 

 be helped by whatever improves the conditions of rub- 

 ber production there. 



By way of encouragement to the rubber planting inter- 

 est, after noting the success of rubber culture in Cej'lon, the 

 Journal of the Jamaica Agricultural Society says : " From 

 the knowledge that was obtainable at the time the Ceylon 

 planters began to plant Para rubber, we think that nine out 

 often experienced agriculturists elsewhere would not have 

 advised that the conditions in Ce3'lon would have suited this 

 rubber so well as results have now proved." The Journal 

 might have written more strongly. Less than ten years ago 

 Mr. Gustav Mann, long conservator of forests for Assam, 

 and widely regarded as an authority, wrote in The India 

 Rubber World : "The naturalization oj American rubber 

 trees in Asia has not been a success, and generally speaking, I 

 am noiv inclined to think that all rubber plants had better be 

 grown in the cotintries in which they are indigenous. " From 

 what has since been accomplished with rubber in the Far 

 East, it is clear that a great deal remained to be learned on 

 this subject ten years ago. For that matter, it might not be 

 well for any planter or rubber expert even now to assume 

 that there are no unsolved problems in relation to rubber 

 culture. 



The possibility of drying rubber in three hours, in- 

 stead of three months, as former!}-, invites the idea of the 

 crop being moved forward, so to speak, by three months. 

 Any effect upon prices, however, would be very transient, 

 for the trade would speedily adjust itself to the new condi- 

 tion. There would be just so much rubber produced in a 

 year, with just so much demand. The advantage of quick 

 drying would be reaped by the producer, in case it involved 

 economy. There would, however, be a further advantage to 

 the manufacturer, if the rubber reached him in better condi- 

 tion than before. 



Some large .m.a.nufacturers of asbestos goods in 

 Europe, .some of whom are also rubber manufacturers, find 

 it to their advantage to own asbestos mines in Canada. 

 There are lead pencil makers who own timber lands and 

 graphite mines, and operate rubber factories (for erasers). 

 It may be equally advantageous in time for rubber manufac- 

 turers to own rubber trees. A report which is of interest in 



