January 1, 1912.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



189 



The Editor's Book Table. 



LE CAOUTCHOUC AMAZONIEN ET SON CONCURRENT ASIATIQUE. 

 Paul Le Cointe (reprinted from "Le Caoutchouc & La Gutta-Percha " 

 Paris.) [8vo, pp. 56.] 



Dealing with the past history of the competition of Asiatic 

 plantation rubber with the Amazonian product, M. Le Cointe 

 states as his general opinion, that notwithstanding the importance 

 of the change in the economic situation of Amazonia, it has 

 been greatly exaggerated. For his part, he absolutely does not 

 believe in the positive ruin of that vast country, through the ab- 

 solute triumph of Malaysia as a source of rubber. He points 

 out, however, the fact that it is only within a comparatively 

 recent period that Malaysian rubber has assumed a position of 

 importance, but that production in that quarter may be expected 

 to rapidly increase. 



Of equally practical interest is the other side of the question — 

 at what figure is consumption to be estimated. In his words : 



"Since 1900 consumption has increased about 6 per cent per 

 annum and at present equals the production. ... It would 

 thus, by 1920, have only reached 280,000,000 pounds, but it would 

 suffice for the rate of increase to be 8 per cent, for the consump- 

 tion to reach 340,000,000 pounds, and to largely exceed the pro- 

 duction. As rubber is being more and more generally used, and 

 new applications of this product are being every moment found, 

 there is no reason to consider this annual rate of increase as 

 being exaggerated." 



On the other hand, attention is drawn to the fact that there is 

 a limit to the multiplication of Hevea plantations in Asia, which 

 limit will soon be reached. This is due to the fact that there is 

 difficulty in finding in the tropical regions of the Far East, new 

 lands suited for rubber cultivation. Hence, it is added, even with 

 a normal development of existing plantations, there is really no 

 imminent danger of over-production. 



Looking at the matter from the Brazilian point of view, it is 

 urged that Asiatic rubber can only, through its competition with 

 Para, bring down by degrees the price of the latter. It is not 

 the apprehension of being imable to find consumers for his rub- 

 ber that ought to trouble the Amazonian planter, but the 

 undeniable fact that he cannot always hope to sell at a re- 

 munerative price, unless he succeeds in greatly diininishing his 

 present cost of production. The above-named prospective fall 

 in the price of Para rubber will, it is added, be very slow, as 

 the manufacturing industry will always give Hevca the prefer- 

 ence, while lower rates for the latter would facilitate its be- 

 ing used in place of inferior grades, and for purposes from 

 which it is now excluded by its high price. An automatic 

 restoration of equilibrium would be efifected, rendering but little 

 probable a rapid depreciation, ruinous to the producer. 



In discussing the subject of synthetic rubber, M. Le Cointe 

 expresses the opinion' that linder existing conditions the syn- 

 thesis of rubber cannot be realized in the proper sense of the 

 word ; the substances produced rather being new types supple- 

 menting those furnished by the vegetable kingdom. He adds it 

 would be very difficult to obtain artificially a body presenting 

 the complete ensemble of the qualities of Para, in the same degree 

 and at a commercial price. In confirmation of this statement he 

 quotes the fact that the product recently obtained by M. Richard 

 (the French expert) while it could even be vulcanized, was only 

 made in small quantities at a very high cost. 



Concluding his remarks upon the question of synthetic rubber, 

 M. Le Cointe says: "This time, again (as in the case of Asiatic 

 rubber) the Brazilian rubber planter will only suffer to the ex- 

 tent of a slight emotion." 



Many other points of interest (both actual and prospective), 

 regarding Asiatic and Brazilian rubber, are dealt with in this 

 interesting article. 



THE RUBBER-PLANTER'S NOTE BOOK. BY FRANK BRAHAM; 

 F.R.G.S. London: Crosby Lockwood & Son, 19H. [Cloth, pp. 108.J 



In this handy but comprehensive little work, Mr. Braham has 

 grouped a number of facts and recommendations of interest to 

 rubber planters. Its sections include : nurseries, planting, tap- 

 ping, etc. ; machinery, literature of rubber, etc. ; preservation of 

 health in tropical climates ; rubber-growing countries ; as well as 

 the various troubles to which planters are subject. 



Special interest attaches to Mr. Braham's remarks, to the- 

 efifect that there is every probability of a large commercial de- 

 mand arising for Para rubber seed, as it is known to contain a 

 clear light yellow oil, akin in its properties to linseed and cotton- 

 seed oils, its residue, moreover, including elements useful for 

 cattle food. It is added that in view of the prospect that the 

 supply of seed for planting will soon exceed the demaiid, it would 

 be wise, when other machinery is being erected, to keep in view 

 the possible inclusion at a later date of crushing machinery. The 

 avowed purpose of being used in the field is facilitated by its 

 size (6J^ X 41/2) allowing this book to be carried in the pocket. 



A CULTURA DE HEVEA NO ORIENTE E SUA. Manufactura no»- 

 Estados Unidos. By J. A. Mendes. Para. 1911. [Paper. 8vo, pp. 46.J 



In this brief but comprehensive booklet, Seiior J. A. Mendes 

 has perpetuated two addresses delivered on March 25, 1911, at 

 the "Theatro da Paz" at Para. One was by himself and the 

 other by Dr. Jacques Huber, director of the local "Museu 

 Goeldi." In the former, after a general historical review of the 

 history of Para rubber cultivation, the subject of Hevea cultiva- 

 tion in the East was taken up, with special reference to the 

 efforts of Mr. H. A. Wickham in that direction. Present condi- 

 tions were then dealt with, in connection with some 70 views- 

 illustrating the cultivation of Hevea and other points relating 

 to rubber production in the East, some of which are reproduced! 

 in this booklet. 



An interesting feature of Seiior Mendes' address was a descrip- 

 tion of the manufacture of rubber goods in the United States, 

 in the course of which he described his visits to many of the 

 leading factories in that branch of industry, his remarks being 

 illustrated by views (as in the case of the earlier part of the 

 address), showing various processes in operation. The series 

 of views was appropriately closed by a portrait of Charles Good- 

 year, without whose invention of vulcanization (as Seiior Mendes 

 remarked) rubber could never have been used for the various, 

 purposes for which it is now applied. 



In his address, supplementing that of Sefior Mendes, Dr. 

 Jacques Huber said : 



"I take pleasure in here mentioning the name of Mr. H. C. 

 Pearson, the well-known editor of The India Rubber Worliv 

 who with the greatest courtesy offered the 'Museu Goeldi,' on 

 the occasion of his visit to the Amazon last year, the greater 

 part of the slides which have just been reproduced in your pres- 

 ence. With this valuable contribution Mr. Pearson gave the 

 first instigation towards the realization of the objects of the - 

 Manaos Conference." 



The B. F. Goodrich Co., Akron, Ohio, have issued a finely prints 

 ed pamphlet of 32 pages descriptive of their wireless motor truck 

 tires describing and illustrating the peculiar sectional shape of the 

 tread of the tire, which they contend gives the tire greater shock- 

 absorbing qualities than any other truck tire, and also describing^^ 

 fully the method of fastening the tire to the rim of the wheel. 

 The booklet contains a great number of illustrations not only of 

 the tire, but of various heavy trucks showing the tire in use. It 

 will prove an interesting publication to all truck owners. 



