222 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[April i, 1905. 



LITERATURE OF INDIA-RUBBER. 



A RECENT issue of the lournal of the Royal Botanic Gar- 

 dens of Ceylon (Vol. II— No. 29, January, 1905) consists 

 of a report on "Canker (Nectria) of Pari Rubber," by Mr. J. 

 B. Carruthers, who until recently was the government mycolo- 

 gist for Ceylon, and whose valuable work in the study of the 

 Pard rubber tree disease has already been mentioned at length 

 in The India Rlibber World. This pamphlet goes into de- 

 tail in regard to the nature and effects of the canker fungus 

 and its eradication, and the tone of the report is altogether 

 hopeful. A concluding paragraph is quoted here: 



I would like in closing this account of my work in connection with 

 the rubber canker to express my indebtednes- to many rubber planters for 

 valuable help cordially given. The rubber planter, perhaps because he 

 is a more modern creation, deals with his cultivation rather more in an 

 experimental scientific manner than his brother planter in tea or cacao. 

 He is not tramelled by any traditions as to methods of cultivation, and 

 has to get his knowledge first hand. This necessitates a greater amount 

 of observation of the trees in his care both as regards their freedom from 

 disease and their production of latex. The practical and efficient treat- 

 ment of the canker fungus may therefore, I think, be left in his hands 

 with the assurance that he will not allow it to get the better of him 

 while any elTorts on his part can ensure its eradication. 



The Tropical Agriculturist (Colombo), now in the twenty- 

 fourth year of its success as a promoter and record of plant- 

 ing in the tropics — during all of which time it has encouraged 

 the culture of India-rubber — has become the organ of the re- 

 cently organized Ceylon Agricultural Society, and placed under 

 the editorial control of Dr. John C. Willis, the able director of 

 the royal botanic gardens at Peradeniya. The magazine will 

 continue to be published by the Messrs. Ferguson, the found- 

 ers, and for the present some of the old features will be retained, 

 but it is intimated that by the end of the current volume a 

 general transformation of the periodical may take place. 



IN CURRENT PERIODICALS. 



Caoutchouc des Herbes. [E.xtensive notes from various sources on 

 the species yielding " root rubber," their halntat, methods of exploita- 

 tion, profits, etc '[^Journal d' A giiculture Tropicalc, Paris. V-44 (Feb- 

 ruary 2S, 1905.) Pp. 35-38. 



A Manitoba em Nosso Estado. [Favorable report on Manitoba 

 (Ceara rubber) in the state of Santa Catharina, V<r&z\\.\-= Rivista Agri- 

 cola, Florianapolis. I-i (January, 1905). Pp. 9 11. 



Vorschliige betreffs der Ausbeutung der wilden A';V/tjr/<2-BestJinde in 

 Kamerun. (Propositions regarding the exploitation of wild Kickxia in 

 Kamerun). By Freiherr von Stein. [Suggestions regarding the best 

 method of obtaining rubber from Kickxia ; proposed ordinance for 

 abolishing the practical extraction of rubber, and providing for the re- 

 planting of this species in southern Kamerun]. = i9^»- Tropoifjiantcr, 

 Berlin. VIII-il (November, 1904). Pp. 597 611. =- [Summary]. 

 ^Journal d' Agriculture Tropicale, Paris. V-44 (February 28, 1905). 

 Pp. 45-47- 



OTHER BOOKS RECEIVED. 



FRICTION AND LUBRICATION. A HANDBOOK FOR ENGINEERS, 

 Mechanics, Superintendents, anti Managers. By William M. Davis. Illus- 

 trated. Second edition. Pittsburgh; The Lubrication Publishing Co., 1904. 

 [Cloth, i6mo. Pp. V1+J65. Price, $2.] 



The author, a member of various associations of engineers, 

 and claiming years of experience as an engineer, reveals his 

 practical disposition by stating in his preface his acknowledg- 

 ments to a professional author in helping him to put his book 

 in shape, and to a librarian for assistance in collecting data from 

 books under the latter's charge. No claim is made to original- 

 ity, but only to bringing together in compact shape matters cal- 

 culated to be of value to his readers for daily reference in their 

 work. The subjects treated are friction of engines and ma- 

 chines, lubrication, oils, greases, and related matters, in con- 



nection with which 69 illustrations are distributed through the 

 text. Such a work cannot fail to be of value in a rubber fac- 

 tory, no less than in textile mills and other establishments 

 mentioned by the author, although the rubber industry is not 

 definitely referred to. A few pages are devoted to " Friction 

 Loss of Piston Rod Packing," the results being given of an 

 exhaustive series of tests with various forms of packings by 

 Professor C. H. Benjamin. ' [See The India Rubber World, 

 March r, 1900— page 155. J 



"THE ELECTRICIAN" ELECTRICAL TRADES DIRKCTORV AND 



H;indbool\ for 1905. (Twenty-third year.) London : The Electruinn Print 

 ing and Publishing Co., Limited, 1905 [Two vols. Cloth. 8vo, Pp. 1628-}- 

 cxxxvi ; folding charts. Price, 15 shillings.] 



This admirably edited annual compilation appears every 

 year in larger volume, both on account of the broadening field 

 of the electrical industries and of the frequent addition of new 

 features of value and interest for reference for all who are in- 

 terested in these industries. For instance, the current issue 

 contains no little matter in relation to electric traction in Lon- 

 don, and notes on progress in wireless telegraphy in general. 

 It is in the fullest sense an international work, "American 

 Electrical Fire Risk Rules " being given equal prominence with 

 " Telephonic Facilities between Great Britain and the Conti- 

 nent." The " Biographical Section " notes impartially the 

 leaders in electrical science in every country, and the director- 

 ies of firms and individuals and governmental services cover 

 the whole world. It is interesting to note that the publisher 

 in his preface predicts that the development of the electrical 

 power section of the industry is that to which the trade must 

 look for its greatest extension in the immediate future. The 

 " Directory " related mainly in the earlier years to the field of 

 electrical communications, to which later was added lighting 

 facilities, and now is foreshadowed what may ultimately be the 

 greatest of all electrical fields — the commercial transmission of 

 power — which will require a still further augmentation of the 

 scope of this work. 



KOLONIAL-HANDELS-ADRESSBUCH. 1905(9 JAHRGANG). BERLJN : 

 Kolonial Wirtschaftiichen Komilee. 1905. [Paper. 8 vo. Pp. 242 ; map. 

 Price, 1,50 marks.] 



This annual colonial commercial directory, devoted to the 

 German possessions over seas, is theconipletest publication of 

 the kind obtainable with relation to colonial enterprises and 

 interests of any country, giving as it does the home and colonial 

 addresses and other details concerning companies and firms en- 

 gaged in all branches of business, industry, and planting i-n 

 which the Germans have become interested in their colonies. 

 The issue of such a work alone affords strong testimony of 

 the practical character of the work being done by the import- 

 ant German colonial committee. 



LABOR CONDITIONS IN THE ACRE. 



THE prefect of Acre has published a proclamation to the 

 effect that all seriiigueiros (rubber gatherers) who hence- 

 forth " irregularly " leave their employers with the intention of 

 not paying the debts they have contracted, will be visited with 

 the penalty of the law, and it is recommended that no patroes 

 (patrons) allow In their seringaes (rubber fields) any former 

 laborers of other employers guilty of such fault. This would in- 

 dicate that conditions are becoming more " settled " in the rub- 

 ber district so long in dispute between Bolivia and Brazil, and 

 now administered by the latter. It appears that it is only by 

 means of being able to enforce claims for debt, and then keep- 

 ing the rubber workers perpetually in debt to them, that the 

 patroes can ever be assured of having a working force. The 

 failures of Europeans in this field doubtless are due to their in- 

 ability to adapt themselves to the peculiar labor conditions. 



