March i, 1908.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



179 



whole Mediterranean region might be utilized by gathering the 

 gvun which exudes from the clusters of flowers, or by causing a 

 flow through incisions made at a proper time ; but we think the 

 largest result would follow the manipulation of the roots, which 

 might be handled by machinery and treated by washing, as is 

 done in the case of the rubber plant and also of the guayule in 

 Mexico. 



When we take into consideration the hundreds of square miles 

 covered by the Atractylis giiininifcra and the enormous size of 

 its underground trunks, it must be conceded that large quan- 

 tities of rubber could be extracted from them, and .that it would 

 be justifiable to set up a plant to recover it. Years would pass 

 by before the natural supply in the Mediterranean region would 

 be exhausted and in the meantime, nothing would prevent suit- 

 able cultivation of the Atractylis gummifera. 



In fact, this plant which grows and thrives naturally in the 

 Mediterranean region, preferring a dry soil and resisting the 

 longest drouth, is far safer to cultivate than many other foreign 

 plants which give a better yield, but are not yet acclimated in 

 southern Europe, The cultivation of the plant would not be very 

 costly ; we could from experience point out an easy means of 

 propagating it. The slender branches which are found almost 

 on a level with the soil and which bear numerous buds could be 

 removed and set out. These cuttings take root rapidly, while 

 the buds develop leaves, so that plants are rapidly produced 

 which in a few years yield new trunks. 



We do not consider that the gum of the Atractylis could take 

 the place of rubber even of average quality, but from the experi- 

 ments which we have caused to be made and from our study of 

 the subject we believe this gum to be adapted to mix with rub- 

 ber, as are those of guayule, pontianak or almeidina. We pro- 

 pose to recur to the subject later and show the part that 

 Atractylis gutumiferi might eventually play in the rubber in- 

 dustry. 



INDIA-RUBBER GOODS IN COMMERCE. 



EXPORTS FROM THE UNITED STATES. 



OFFICI.^L statement of values of exports of manufactures 

 of india-rubber and gutta-percha, for the month of De- 

 cember, 1907, and for five calendar years : 



Belting. Boots All 



Months. Packing, and Other Tot.al. 



and Hose. Shoes. Rubber. 



December, 190; $io;,9i.^ $114-285 $300,336 $522,534 



January-November . 1,294,460 1,532,595 3,643,744 6,470,799 



Total, 1907 $1,402,373 $1,646,880 $3,944,080 $6,993,333 



Total, 1906 1,162,751 1,213,196 3,282,659 5,658,606 



Total, 1905 1,182,761 1,389.226 2,833,511 5,405,498 



Total, 1904 890,076 1,226,772 2,341,039 4,457,887 



Total, 1903 857,634 991,351 2,511,980 4,360,96s 



The number of pairs of rubber boots and shoes during the 

 past four calendar years has been as follows : 



ig04 2,391,803 1906 2,209,116 



1905 2,585,868 1907 3,181,865 



To record the growth of the exports of rubber footwear for 

 a greater number of years it is necessary to present the figures 

 for fiscal years (ending June 30), the details being as follows: 



1891-92. . 

 1892-93. . 



1893-94- • 

 1894-95.. 

 1895-96. . 



Pairs. 

 23i,i05 

 410,950 

 261,657 

 383,793 

 350,713 



1896-97. , 

 1897-98- . 

 1898-99. . 

 1899-00. . 

 1900-01 . . 



1901-02. 

 1902-03. 

 1903-04. 

 1904-05. 

 1905-06. 



Pairs. 

 2,594.708 

 2.307.401 

 2,310,808 

 2.390.539 

 2,693,670 



Pairs. 

 . 306.026 

 - 391,832 

 . 486,586 

 . 767,104 

 . 1.459,100 



IMPORTS INTO THE UNITED STATES. 



Official statement of values of manufactures of india-rubber 

 and gutta-percha, for three calendar years : 



1905. 1906. 



India-rubber $1,638,867 $2,389,082 



Gutta-percha , 105.274 240.267 



1907. 



$2,154,425 

 141-535 



BRITISH RUBBER FOOTWEAR TRADE, 



The exportation of rubber footwear of British manufacture 

 has shown a steady increase of late years, until now that coun- 

 try seems to lead the world in that branch of trade. The follow- 

 ing figures relating to such exports for the last three calendar 

 years, are based upon official returns : 



1905. 1906. 1907. 



Number of pairs 2.373,732 3.015,624 3,610,956 



Value (sterling) ^236,403 £288.852 £343,223 



Value (U. S. money) $1,150,455 $1,405,698 $1,670,295 



British returns are not available of the imports of such goods. 

 United States returns for several years past have shown a 

 steady decrease in the number of pairs exported to Great Brit- 

 ain, but these figures relate in part to goods ultimately reaching 

 continental Europe, and the total consumption of American rub- 

 ber shoes in Europe increased from 819,122 pairs in 1901-02 to 

 1,807,346 pairs in 1906-07. 



RUBBER FOOTWEAR IN FRAHCE. 



France appears to be losing ground in respect of rubber foot- 

 wear. In the returns of French "special" commerce for three 

 years past these figures occur regarding chassures of caoutchouc, 

 indicating values : 



IMPORTS. 



In 1905 3,639,000 francs [= $702,3271 



In 1906 4,001,000 francs [= $772,193] 



!n 1907 5,364,000 francs [==$1,035,252] 



EXPORTS. 



In 1905 .■ 1,535,000 francs [= $286,255] 



In 1906 1,117,000 francs [= $215,581] 



In 1907 S29.000 francs [= $159,997] 



AMERICAN RUBBER GOODS IN BRAZIL, 



The Brazilian congress has voted to continue during 1908 the 

 20 per cent, reduction on import duties in favor of certain 

 products imported from the United States, including rubber 

 goods. The general tariff rate ranges from i milreis per kilo- 

 gram for machinery packings to 5 milreis for more fanciful 

 goods — canes, whips, and the like. The rate on footwear is 



3 milreis per kilogram; hose, ij^ milreis; hard rubber goods, 



4 milreis ; and so on. Elastic goods, especially where silk is in- 

 cluded, are charged as high as 30 milreis. On articles not speci- 

 fied in the tariff schedule an ad valorem duty of 50 per cent, is 

 imposed. Sixty-five per cent, of all duties is payable in gold 

 [i milreis = 54.6 cents], and the remainder in the depreciated 

 paper milreis worth lately about 30 cents. The full rate, ex- 

 pressed in United States currency per pound, works out, for 

 each milreis per kilogram, at nearly 21 cents a pound. Thus, 

 i.ooo kilos of packing would have to pay 1,000 milreis [^$461.35], 

 equivalent to $209.24 per pound. The rate on footwear is three 

 times as high, and so on. The rate on American goods, as above 

 stated, is 20 per cent, lower. 



Cacap is exported to a considerable extent down the Amazon 

 river, much of it through houses identified with the rubber trade, 

 as Schrader, Gruner & Co. and Scholz, Hartje & Co. of Para 

 and Manaos. The total for 1907 was 3502 tons, about three- 

 fourths going to Europe. The figure for 1906 was 2105 tons and 

 for 1905 it was 4263 tons. Back in 1891 the exports were 6562 

 tons. 



The United States consul at Iquitos reports the beginning of a 

 that the large increase in the imports of Brazilian rubber into 

 Germany appears to be due to the recent establishment of a direct 

 steamship line between Hamburg and .Amazon ports. The im- 

 ports of Brazilian rubber increased from 1,800,000 marks in 1902 

 to 20,000,000 marks in 1906. 



Total $1,744,141 $2,629,349 $2,295,960 



The Gutta Percha and Rubber Manufacturing Co. (New York) 

 announce the permanent location of their San Francisco branch at 

 Nos. 67-69 First street. 



