April I. 1914.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



353 



Up to Ihc end of 1912 Brazil kept at the head of rubber pro- 

 ducing countries, tho during the last 12 years its share in sup- 

 plying the market has diminished. The opinion is expressed 

 that the calendar year 1913 would see for the first time a produc- 

 tion (if phmlatiiin rubber exceeding that of Brazilian. 



.\.\I.\ZONI.\\ PRODUCTION. 

 Owing to its immense resources in wild rubber, the article 

 should long cuntiiuie to be produced in Amazonia. M. P. Le- 

 cointe, the engineer, estimates the number of trees at 2(X).000,000, 

 of which only one-tenth are being tapped. The area of Asiatic 

 Hcvca plantations is estimated at 1,125,000 acres, containing 

 150.000.000 lrei,>, cf wliicb scarcclv 15 inr cent, are being worked. 



Sm.M-L Bo.\t for Tr.xxsportinc, Rl'bber in the Region of the 

 F.M.i.s ( River Xtngu). 



The above figures are quoted by M. Labroy in proof of the 

 prospective importance of the .Asiatic plantations and as illus- 

 trating the dangers they present for the Brazilian extractive 

 industry, if the measures of defense adopted January 5, 1912, 

 are not strictly and vigorously applied. 



IIEVE.\ BR.\SILIENSIS. 



The family of the Hcvea includes 21 species, the geographical 

 area of which extends over the whole valley of the Amazon 

 and part of that of the Upper Orinoco. A small number of 

 species form the source of the borracha of Brazil and the jebc 

 of Peru and Bolivia. Of the various species, the Hcvea Brasili- 

 eiisis predominates over all other known varieties, owing to the 

 superiority of its product and the importance of its yield. It 

 constitutes the type of genuine Para rubber and rises to the 

 height of 65 feet and more. The botanico-economical study 

 of the Upper .\mazon Hcvea has advanced but little, but this 

 region differs from the Lower .\mazon in its climatic features. 



The physiology and biology of this species are next dealt with, 

 as well as the tapping; followed by the consideration of the 

 Amazonian methods of coagulation and preparation of the latex. 



The commercial designations of rubber and the business 

 methods in use in Brazil are then discussed, with proforma 

 statements of expenses borne by shipments of Amazonian rubber. 

 There is an excessive amount of handling of this rubber from 

 the smoke house to the steamer. 



BR.\Zn.I.\X PLANTATIONS. 

 Future cultural enterprises with Hcveas in the valley of the 

 Amazon should (according to M. Labroy) be inspired by the 

 experience gained on the estates of the Middle East ; keeping in 

 view the modifications necessitated by local conditions. Mis- 

 takes committed in Malaya can be avoided in Brazil. The basin 

 of the Amazon has ample space for establishing Hcvea planta- 

 tions, but the author suggests restricting them at first to loca- 

 tions favored by the nature of the soil and by facilities of trans- 



portation. Distant points on the Upper Amazon are now less 

 in favor for such enterprises than the islands, the banks of that 

 river as far as the Rio Negro, as well as those of other rivers. 

 The Hcvea develops vigorously on the islands of the Amazon 

 estuary, but the climate at that spot is said to be unhealthy. 

 .\s a fact sanitation has been greatly improved by the clearing 

 and cultivation of the soil, while the mortality among the rubber 

 ."jatherers largely arises from bad food and excessive drinking. 

 .Succeeding chapters deal with the clearing and laying out of 

 a plantation; multiplication, planting, tapping, methods of coagu- 

 lation, etc. Further subjects treated arc : yield of plantation 

 Hevea, pests, and economical considerations as to [le-.ra culti- 

 vation and transportation. 



KXPERIMKNT.VI, STATIO.NS. 



It is remarked that the good will of .Amazonian planters will 

 be stimulated by the Federal decrees of January 5 and .April 17, 

 I'M 2. 



I'.y these decrees the Federal government engages : 



1. To create an experimental station in the environs of Para. 



2. To instal a ruljber purifying plant. 



3. To establish a factory of rubber goods. 



4. 5. To build different lines of railway. 



6. To organize a zoo-technical post on the island of Marajo. 



7. To establish a fishing industry. 



5. To erect an asylum capable of receiving 1,500 immigrants. 

 9. 10. To instal three hospitals, each for 100 sick patients, 



at different points in the State. 

 II. To maintain two coal depots. 

 On its part the State engages: 



1. To gradually reduce by 10 per cent, the rubber export tax 



within a term of 5 years : equaling 2 per cent, per 

 annum, commencing from January 1. 1914. 



2. To exempt plantation rubber from all tax during 25 years 



from January 5, 1912. 



3. To establish a fixed tax of 400 reis per kilo (6 cents per 



pound) on rubbers containing more than 6 per cent. 

 of impurities. 



4. To exempt from all taxes for 25 years certain agricultural 



enterprises. 



5. To diminish, under agreement with the Federal govern- 



ment, and in the proportion of 40 per cent., the freight 

 tariffs of the navigation companies administered or 

 subsidized by the State of Para. 

 .MANICOB.V. 

 Five species of wild Manitoba are described, with their biology 

 and climatic peculiarities. Under the head of "Cultivated Mani- 

 toba," full details are given for the guidance of intending planters. 

 The work contains over 100 artistic illustrations, some of which 

 are rcprinluced. 



C.VSTILLOA A.VU MAN(..\BEI RA. 

 Ibe l)ci;any of Castilloa is dealt with, as well as its cultivation 

 and tapping. It is remarked that the regions with the climatic 

 conditions most favorable to the -Amazonian species are just 

 those which have the least facilities of transportation. 



Some trials have been made of cultivating Mangabeira, notably 

 in the State of Sao Paulo. These trials have established the fact 

 that this species grows too slowly for the establishment of com- 

 mercial plantations. In this opinion M. Labroy concurs in his 

 final remarks. 



KAI.ENDER Fl'R DIE CUMMMNDUSTRIE UNO VERWANDTE BE- 

 triebe (Calendar for the Rubber Industry and Kindred Branches). Is- 

 sued by Dr. Kurt Gottlob. Berlin, 1914. Union Deutsche Verlags- 

 gescllschaft. (Cloth, 6x iVi, 280 pages, with supplement of 228 pages.] 



With each recurring year, the above-named calendar makes 

 its appearance, its completeness of detail rendering it spe- 

 cially useful to all interested in calculations affecting rubber. 

 A number of tabular pages give space for recording pur- 

 chases of rubber, losses in washing, details of vulcanization 



