May i, 1910.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



279 



trying to push their balls and advertise them in this trade." 

 There is a flood of home manufactured rubber cored balls on 

 sale in England and in addition to the rivalry between the natives 

 two American firms have branch factories there. The American 

 patentee could not establish priority of invention in Great Brit- 

 ain. After he began to sell broadcast here in 1900 there were 

 many other sorts of rubber cored balls brought out. In 1903 

 the patentee brought suit against all other makers for infringe- 

 ment of his patent and cumulative damages. The action drove 

 all the small manufacturers to the wall, but the case never went 

 to a finish. The two or three principal defendants put in answers 

 denying priority of invention, but there was never a trial. This 

 was because they confessed judgment and since then all makers 

 of golf balls having a core of wound rubber threads have paid a 

 royalty to the patentee. 



BAILEY'S "WON'T SLIP" RUBBER HEELS. 



REPRODUCTION OF GUAYULE. 



THE subject of the reproduction of the guayule plant is treated 

 at length in the prospectus of the Guayule Rubber Co., 

 Limited, recently brought out in London. This prospectus quotes 

 from a report by Sefior Albert S. Valdespino, of Torreon, Mex- 

 ico, who has made a careful study of the guayule situation. In 

 estimating the present and prospective supply of guayule shrub, 

 lie includes the item of "annual cutting," which he explains is 

 really gleanings — guayule which was left by former contractors. 

 His report proceeds : 



"The real second crop should then be considered. A very im- 

 portant feature of the guayule business today is the question of 

 future crops, which now seem to be assured. It is a well known 

 fact that where one large plant is pulled up, six or eight small 

 plants will spring up in its stead, being from the shoots which 

 break off and remain in the ground. I remember that during the 

 year 1906 the general opinion prevailed that in two years' time 

 there would be no guayule. This fear seems to have passed over, 

 and the factories at the present time are better stocked and esti- 

 mate their supply of raw material far in excess to what they did 

 in 1906." 



A report in the Mexican Herald is to the effect that a larger 

 • production of guayule is expected in Mexico this year than at 

 any time in the past. The estimates in the hands of the depart- 

 ment of fomento indicate that the acreage over which guayule 

 shrub will be gathered this year will exceed by 30 per cent, the 

 figure for last year. It is stated further that, whereas guayule 

 shrub could be bought at $25 a ton in the open market only 

 a few years ago, it is selling at present as high as $150 a ton. 



Regarding a report on the use of a regrowth of guayule, 

 from fields once worked over, a high authority on guayule, to 

 whom the matter was referred, writes : 



To the Editor of The India Rubber World: Replying 

 to your letter, I would say-, wdth reference to the statement 

 that new growth of guayule is actually being used, that 

 such statements must be received with the greatest caution. 

 I had occasion, just a year ago, to look into this particular 

 question. Guayule was being brought to the factory and it 

 was said to be second growth from an area which had been 

 cut three years previously. Upon investigation I found that 

 there was not a plant to the bale less than eight to ten years 

 old, and there was no evidence at all that any of it was 

 second growth, strictly speaking. The only thing you can 

 say of it is that it was a second gathering, apparently of 

 stuff left at the first gathering. My own experience teaches 

 me caution with regard to any statements concerning 

 guayule not verifiable from personal observation. 



Auburn, Alabama. April 13, iqjo. FRANCIS E. LLOYD. 



THE latest contribution to the world's supply of rubber heels 

 for shoes is the "Won't Slip," for which a United States 

 patent was granted on April i_\ 1910, to Mr. Charles J. Bailey, 

 of Boston. The construct! n suggests the well known tread prin- 

 ciple for tires with which this inventor's name long has been iden- 

 tified. These heels, made from the toughest fibered rubber, are 

 referred to as being rendered more durable by their form than 

 if solid. The rubber studs next to the leather heel of the boot 



Heel Sum u i 



Tread Si ki u 1 



give it a permanent double cushion that forces the center of the 

 heel and releases mud or snow with each step. The tread surface 

 formed with "U" shaped ribs, together with fiat ended rubber 

 studs, form a surface that is positively non-slipping on ice or 

 other slippery surface. The two cuts herewith illustrate re- 

 spectively the heel and tread surfaces of this new article. Foreign 

 patents have been applied for. [C. J. Bailey & Co., Xo. 22 Boyl- 

 ston street. Bi isti 11. | 



■:,' 



- 



THE NEW CRANE BUCKLE. 



""J" 1 HE attention of the rubber footwear trade is being called 

 ■*■ to a new buckle for use on men's and women's "arctics," 

 which is a great improvement over many buckles hitherto in use, 



and which overcomes the objections 

 which have been raised against the 

 latter. In addition to these buckles 

 being neat in appearance, some of 

 their advantages are that they do 

 not cut the fabric of the arctic it- 

 self; the buckle is easily adjusted; 

 and it is commended particularly to 

 ladies, for the reason that it does 

 not tear the wearers' skirts. The 

 buckle is fastened by lifting the 

 square spring member and inserting 

 under it the ratchet shown in the 

 cut ; then folding down the spring 

 upon the ratchet at any point de- 

 sired. It may be pushed for- 

 ward over the teeth of the ratchet 

 until the arctic is adjusted to the foot to any degree of snugn :ss 

 which may be wished. This buckle, being made of the best 

 of steel, is practically indestructible. [Crane Buckle Co., Xo. 19 

 Pearl street, Boston.] 



The Crane Buckle. 



A book for everybody interested in tires — "Rubber Tires and 

 All About Them" — this office. 



The accounts of British Insulated and Helsby Cables, Limited, 

 for the business year 1909, show a trading profit of £131,76;. com- 

 paring with £193,832 for the preceding year. The comparison 

 is more favorable, however, with years previous to 1008. It 

 is pointed out that, pending the. transfer of the business of the 

 National Telephone Co. to the government, a decline in the 

 buying of telephone supplies has come about, to the detriment 

 of the company's business, but this is regarded as only tem- 

 porary. The company have established an automobile tire factory 

 at Helsby. The dividends for the past year have been as usual 

 —6 per cent, on the preference and 10 per cent, on the ordinary 

 shares. 



