210 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



IJanlary 1, 1913. 



where many trees were illegally felled as recently as a few years 

 ago, but the difficulties of transportation prohibit its exportation. 

 It will be remembered that one of the claims of those who wish 

 to have the restriction as to felling removed, is that after the 

 balata has been extracted a marketable wood remains. Mr. 

 Anderson's information appears to throw some doubt upon this 

 claim. It will not be sustained until means of transportation 

 are improved. 



Mr. Anderson's report is more informative when he comes to 

 discuss the distribution of trees. He says that they are to be 

 found growing in most parts of the colony, being widely dis- 

 persed throughout the forests of the savannah lands, but on the 

 slightly elevated lands and hilly country they usually occur in 

 communities, varying in number from a few to thirty or more 

 trees, which are irregularly distributed within definite forest 

 areas, or in belts of varying extent, known locally as "bullet 

 tree reefs," in which these communities occur more or less con- 

 centrated. "Hence the trees are more plentiful in the depths of 

 the forests than near the rivers. During my inspections, and 

 on the many previous occasions on which I have traversed 

 the balata forests, I have never found any land which the bullet 

 trees occupy to the entire exclusion of all others, but I have 

 come on particular forest areas or zones in which this tree was 

 among the most prevailing species of forest trees." The distribu- 

 tion, says Mr. Anderson, is "not a question of soil, but may be due 

 to situation with regard to access of light; but evidence so far 

 collected is not sufficiently convincing on this point of the prob- 

 lem." He proceeds to the local distribution of balata trees in 

 the easily accessible forests. In subsequent reports doubtless the 

 result of his researches will be more fully amplified. 



Mr. Anderson also supplies some interesting information con- 

 cerning the Saphim rubber tree, for details of which he refers 

 us to the Imperial Institute's "Bulletin" and the Department of 

 Science and Agriculture's "Rubber and Balata in British Guiana." 

 He says these trees are to be found scattered about the forests 

 of the colony generally, but more particularly in those bordering 

 the banks of the rivers or streams of the North West District, 

 the Pomeroon, and the lower Essequibo rivers. "Estimates made 

 in certain localities in the upper Amakura-Barima District, where 

 these trees are reported to grow most plentifully, indicate that 

 in certain localities they only number about 30 to the square 

 mile." Mr. Anderson reports that the tree reaches at maturity 

 an average girth of 60 inches and a height of about 60 feet, but 

 that they occasionally attain much greater dimensions. The trees 

 occur mostly in the western part of the colony, on the upper 

 Amakura River, Barima River from Morawhanna upwards and 

 its tributaries, the Barama and the Waini rivers, the upper Pome- 

 roon and the lower Essequibo River, but that in the forests on 

 the Demerara, Berbice, Canje, and Corentyne rivers they are 

 either very scarce or not found at all. 



Mr. Anderson says that there is reason to believe that at 

 present the name Saf'ium Jenmani is applied generally to rubber- 

 producing Sapinms and other Sapiums, such as Saphim Hems- 

 leyanum, Huber, growing on the coast lands or in the forests 

 and also known by the name of "Mabua," yielding a latex of a 

 more or less sticky nature, and of no value. The Hya-hya. two 

 species, also yield a copious flow of latex, which when dry forms 

 a hard substance. Mr. Anderson says that the milk of this tree 

 has been stated to be drinkable, but he does not recommend it. 

 The latex of these trees, also the balata (bully) tree, Sapotacae 

 ficus. is of no commercial value. 



It will be remembered that among the proposals of the Balata 

 Committee was the improvement of means of communication 

 by means of wireless telegraphy. The Chamber of Commerce 

 has now received proposals from the Anglo-French Wireless 

 Company, Limited, which it has sent on to the Government, offer- 

 ing to erect and install seven stations at Georgetown, Zisin- 

 gaatugalso Pass (on the Brazilian Boundary), Morawhanna, Bar- 

 tica, Wismar, Omai (for the Potaro District), and Arnida Post 



(for the Rupununi District), at a cost between $10.(XX) and 

 $15,000 erected. This estimate coincides with the estimate made 

 a year ago by John Alsing, assistant government electrician. The 

 Council of the Chamber of Commerce hopes that the scheme may 

 have the favorable consideration of the Government. 



Mr. Edward Edwards, local attorney for Ed. Maurer & Co., 

 New York has been appointed to act as attorney of the Amster- 

 dam Balata Co. 



The exports of Balata to November 7, were 460,648 lbs., as 

 compared with 833,022 lbs. to November 7, 1911. 



THE AMERICAN-MEXICAN EUBBER AND COFFEE CO. 



We published the notice in our December number of the 

 incorporation in New York State of the American-Mexican Rub- 

 ber & Coffee Corporation with its principal office at Ithaca. A 

 request sent the secretary of the company for some informa- 

 tion regarding its operations elicits the following interesting 

 paragraphs : 



"The corporation owns about 17,000 acres of valuable land 

 about 30 miles north of Tapachula, State of Chiapas, Mexico, 

 and near the Huixtla Station. We have about 2,8{X) acres of 

 land in coffee consisting of 1,000,000 trees, ages from one to 

 fourteen years — about 1.400 acres in bearing from which was 

 sold last year over 1,100,000 lbs. of coffee. We also have about 

 2,500 acres in rubber containing over 950,000 trees, averaging 

 from one to seven years. We expect to begin tapping next year, 

 although a few of the trees are old enough to tap this fall. 



"We own our own electric light plant which furnishes light 

 and power for the plantation ; also our own telephone system 

 with over thirty miles of telephone wire connecting the different 

 sections. The Pan-American Railway crosses the property afford- 

 ing prompt shipments. The majority of the directors and stock- 

 holders of this corporation are also interested in the Mexican 

 Coffee Co., which is incorporated under the laws of New York 

 State, for $100,000 owning 3,000 acres adjoining the property 

 of our new corporation, and which has paid 10 per cent, divi- 

 dends since its incorporation." 



ENGLISH ATITOMOBILE IMPORTS AND EXPORTS. 



For the nine months ending September 30. 1912, English im- 

 ports of motor cars and parts equaled $27,263,425, against $22.- 

 825,965 for the corresponding period of 1911. Exports for the 

 same periods represented $12,662,685, as compared with $10,- 

 633.010 in 1911. Development is thus shown in both directions; 

 England importing to double the extent of the automobile ex- 

 ports. 



These figures referring to automobiles in general, and thus 

 including the high priced French machines, it is of interest to 

 note the statement in the "Carriage Monthly," that the English 

 imports of American automobiles during the first half of last 

 year, represented 3,327 cars of the average value of about $1,000. 

 It is added that: 



"The low-priced American car has made the automobile a 

 possibility for a large number of Englishmen, who could not 

 have aft'orded to pay the price of the higher priced English 

 cars, and has taught the British public to appreciate a vehicle 

 that is reliable and economical in operation, even though some 

 of the refinements to which they had become accustomed may 

 be wanting." 



British makers having specialized in cars at $2,000 and up- 

 wards, there is said to be at present apparently little prospect of 

 American cars of that type obtaining a substantial footing in the 

 English market. 



THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT OF SINGAPORE BOTANIC GARDENS. 



It is announced that Mr. J. H. Buckill, hitherto attached to the 

 Indian Botanical Service, has been appointed by the British 

 Colonial Secretary to replace Mr. H. M. Ridley as superintendent 

 of the Singapore Botanic Gardens. 



