December 1, 1913.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



147 



The Editor's Book Table. 



TIIK PREPARATION OF PLANTATION RUBBER. BY SIDNEY 

 Morgan, A. R. C. Sc, F. C. S. London, 1913: The Rubber Growers' 

 Association. [Octavo, 270 pp., cloth covers; price, \0s. net.] 



IN this coinprehonsive work Mr. Morgan has had the advantage 

 of an intimate personal knowledge of the subject treated. 

 During the past few years he has been Directing Scientific 

 Offlcer for the Research Fund of the Rubber Growers' Associa- 

 tion in the Federated Malay States. 



The plan of the \york combines siiuplicity with completeness. 

 It deals, as its title indicates, with the preparation of plantation 

 rubber. Its scope is best illustrated by its general contents : 



Part I. Field operations 5 chapters 57 pages. 



II. Factory operations 5 " 61 



III. Machinery and buildings. 3 " 23 



IV. Finished rubber 3 " 51 



V. General 5 " 74 " 



21 chapters. 266 pages. 



Each chapter has a number of subheads which arc indexed, so 

 that reference to the text is much facilitated. As it will be seen, 

 about four-fifths of the volume deals witli rubber after it has 

 passed the initial stage of a fieUl product and has started on its 

 way to become an article of commerce. 



Prominent among the subjects treated under "Field Opera- 

 tions," is that of wide as compared with close planting. Most 

 estates are now planted upon a scale of 20 x 20 feet, 30 x 30 feet 

 or even 40 x 20 feet. -Altho these distances may seem wide in 

 comparison with the old plan of 10 .x 10 feet or 15 x 15 feet, 

 Mr. Morgan anticipates the possibility of the present rate being 

 in a few years deemed too close. In cases where greater dis- 

 tance has been secured by thinning out trees, it has been found 

 that in a short period (in some cases six months) the yield was 

 greater than from the same area with double the number of 

 trees. Moreover, the growth has been more rapid, with a 

 prospect of a proportionate increase in the future. "Tapping 

 Systems" are next dealt with, the text being illustrated by lucid 

 tables and charts recording actual experiments. Among the ob- 

 jects of the latter was to determine whether the system of tap- 

 ping had any effect upon the final quality of the vulcanized rub- 

 ber. The further development of the subject treats of "Tapping 

 and Collecting," "Transport of Latex" and "General Field Opera- 

 tions" ; bringing the reader with the latex to the door of the 

 factory. 



Commencing with the preliminary treatment of the latex, the 

 question of coagulation is then taken up, the author expressing 

 the opinion that, altho the oldest general coagulant, acetic acid 

 remains one of the best and safest at the i)rcsent time. There is, 

 however, a good deal to be said in favor of formic acid, which 

 is equally as safe and efficacious as acetic acid but costs slightly 

 more. The strength of the acid used, in connection with the 

 results of tests after vulcanization, is the next point treated ; 

 while the principal features of the recent controversy regarding 

 the use of sodium bisulphite are quoted as showing that no 

 deleterious action is exercised on rubber by that agent. At this 

 point the preparation of sheet and of crepe rubber is dealt with in 

 detail ; the final chapter in the section of factory operations 

 treating the "Drying of Rubber." Under this head are to be 

 found the various drying processes, including air and smoke 

 drying of crepe, vacuum driers, air, sun and sinoke drying of 

 sheet, as well as artificial driers for crepe and sheet rubbers. 

 Other branches of the subject include the period of drying and 

 the fuels used for smoking. 



Having fully described the field and factory operations con- 

 nected with the preparation of plantation rubber. Mr. Morgan 



then takes up the subject of "Machinery and Buildings." With 

 regard to the first point, he remarks that the increasing com- 

 petition in machinery for the preparation of rubber will doubtless 

 result in a continued improvement of design. The need for 

 adequacy of the machines is forcibly urged. Finally the author 

 recomiuends managers to base their final decision upon : 



1. The experience of those already using the machines; 2, sim- 

 plicity of parts; 3, lubrir.Ttinn system; 4, mode of adjusting rolls; 

 5, fitting of trays. 



The chapters on factories and other buildings are illustrated 

 by designs, and deal fully with the points involved. 



The fourth part of the work takes up "The Finished Rubber," 

 touching upon defects in crepe, block and sheet rubbers, and how 

 to avoid them; as well as the subject of comparative strengths. 

 In this section will be found a general consideration of the com- 

 parative values of various grades of plantation rubber. 



Among the features of the "General" section is a discussion 

 of "Smoked Sheet versus Pale Crepe as a Market Commodity,'" 

 and also of "Plantation Rubber versus Fine Hard Para." The 

 writer objects to comparing all plantation rubber with Fine Hard 

 Para, as the modes of preparation are so distinct. He also shows 

 that plantation crepe rubber must not be compared even with 

 Iilantation smoke-cured sheet rubber, which he considers the 

 best and strongest form in which plantation rubber is prepared. 



The work is throughout replete with interest, while its lucid 

 style renders it doubly attractive to the planter, merchant and 

 irianufacturer. each of whom will find within its pages much 

 information of both value and interest. 



SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN REFERENCE BOOK, 1914. COMPILED 

 and edited by Albert .*\. Hopkins and A. Russell Bond, Associate Edi- 

 tors of "The Scientific American." [Cloth bound, 12mo, 608 pages, 

 1,000 illustrations. Price, $1.50.] ' 



Former editions of this book have already made a name for it, 

 and the work needs little introduction. In this latest volume are 

 gathered statistics and information concerning those things 

 which compose the vital factors of our material and scientific 

 progress. It is a compendium of ready reference for the busy 

 man, containing a vast aggregation of facts and figures regard- 

 ing the fields of industry, commerce, arts, and science. Much of 

 the information contained therein could not be found elsewhere 

 without much trouble and inconvenience. For instance, in the 

 summary of manufactures, the number of persons engaged, the 

 horse power used, and the value of the finished products are 

 given for the rubber as well as for hundreds of other industries. 

 There is also a detailed comparison of a year's production of 

 rubber in tons from all of the world's rubber-producing countries. 



FACTOS ECONOMICOS (ECONOMIC F.4CTS). BY DR. MIGUEL 

 Calmon du Pin e Almeida, Professor at the Bahia Polytechnic School, 

 1913. Rio de Janeiro; Livraria Francisco Alves. [Octavo, 432 pp., 

 paper covers.] 



In this comprehensive volume, printed in Portuguese, the author 

 has grouped a number of facts bearing on various subjects in 

 which he has been interested during his professional career. 



The sections of a general character include that on "The In- 

 fluence of Solidarity on National ."Xgriculture," "Politics and 

 Economic Development," and "Instruction as a Factor of In- 

 dustrial Progress." Among the special subjects treated are 

 ".-Mcoholism and the Industrial Utilization of Alcohol" and 

 "Two Methods of Producing Tobacco in the East." In another 

 section is treated the "Valorization of Coffee"; all of these 

 subjects being dealt with in practical shape. 



The chapter devoted to "The Depreciation of Rubber" recalls 



