November i, 1902.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



47 



THE CHICLE INDUSTRY OF MINDANAO.* 



I AM writing to you from the locality of Zamboango, one 

 of the largest towns on the island of Mindanao. This 

 narrative will concern the production of the substance 

 known as Chicle and the manufacture of the same into 

 form for the commercial centers of the country. South Ameri- 

 can Chicle and the gum resulting from the treating and pre- 

 paring of the same has had a place in the markets of the world 

 for many years. Gums of this nature from this portion of the 

 world are not so well known. It is only very recently that the 

 country has been opened to the extent of permitting Ameri- 

 cans and others to investigate intothese natural growths of a 

 commercial product. 



The Moros for years have secured the milky, white saps from 

 the gum producing trees of the country by creating wounds in 

 the barks. Oftentimes the blows of knives or pricks with 

 spears form the only means by which crevices and fractures 

 are effected in the rough bark, to the extent of developing a 

 flow or an oozing of the valuable gummy substances. There 

 is a cut made in Fig. i, showing one of the systems employed 

 by the natives for securing the flowing saps. When the gummy 

 liquids pass from the tree to the tube of bamboo a, these 

 liquids are very similar in consistency and appearance to milk. 



* From The Paittt^ Oi/, and Drug Ref'Stttr ( New York), September 29, 190J. 



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CHICLE WORKING IN MINDANAO. 



The bamboo tube is usually suspended horizontally by means 

 of the crosspieces, b. 



Shortly after the mass of liquids is exposed to the air, it be- 

 gins to harden and in a short while can be cut or broken into 

 cakes. The cakes are often shipped to the coast from the in- 

 terior in this form, or, as is the case in some places, the cakes 

 of gum are reworked into desirable order and forms for trans- 

 portation to other countries or to centers where there are 

 agents who handle the gums of the country. At present writ- 

 ing there is one agent of a foreign commercial concern here 

 who is buying gums at market values in large quantities for 

 shipment. 



Another mode of securing this white sap is from the unripe 

 fruitage of the tree, which is very similar to the Sapola 

 growths of Yucatan. 



The natives of Mindanao use some crude devices in the 

 Chicle gum industry. In Fig. 2 is the awkward, yet effective, 

 manner in which the masses of gum like saps can be exposed 

 to the action of the atmosphere without undue wastage due to 

 specks and foreign matters falling in. A series of bamboo 

 tubes are adjusted side by side, as shown, and these are joined 

 with bamboo strips underneath and fastened to crosspieces. 

 Tfte latter are arranged so as to support the whole affair about 

 three feet from the level of the ground. There 

 are openings cut out from each of the tubes at 

 intervals, as shown, and the air can impregnate, 

 and with the heat and drying influence of the 

 sun the desired results are secured. After the 

 mass begins to form in the tubes it is forced out 

 before it hardens and cooking follows. 



Your correspondent sketched two or three 

 different designs of cook ovens of native make, 

 and shows one of the most practical kinds in 

 Fig. 3. This is erected by first excavating the 

 earth to a depth of about four feet, and three 

 feet square for the fireplace, as represented. 

 Then stones are put in position for the forming 

 of the archlike structure immediately over the 

 fire, on which rests the pot of iron containing 

 some of the lumps of Chicle in readiness for dis- 

 solving and cooking. This iron vessel is desig- 

 nated c. Above this vessel is still another arch 

 of stone, describing a more definite circle. Sev- 

 eral native workers are required to keep the fire 

 going and the vessels properly filled. These 

 ovens last indefinitely when properly built, as 

 those I saw were very old indeed. The cooking 

 operation involves several others, such as the 

 sweetening and flavoring. The natives use the 

 common brown sugar product for sweetening 

 purposes. The natives discolor the substance 

 by employing stains squeezed from leaves, herbs, 

 barks, etc. Some of the coloring barks are those 

 from which the dye-substance collectors of the 

 country obtain stains. Reds, yellows, and blues 

 in colored gums are prominent. 



After the gummy stuffs are properly sweetened 

 and flavored they are usually rolled out into 

 sheet like order, so that slabs of the substance 

 can be secured, as in Fig. 4. 



