288 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[June i, 1908 



Some Native Sources of Rubber. 



RUBBEH YIELDING VINES IN COLUMBIA. 



COLOMBIA at one time ranked among the first of rub- 

 ber producing countries. The native rubber supplies 

 accessible from the coast line were speedily exhausted, 

 however, and the business of gathering rubber was trans- 

 ferred to other countries, having better means of interior 

 communication. Without doubt Colombia is still rich in 



"Caucho Oreja de Mula." 



[The "mule's ear" rubber plant of Colombia — showing the pairs of leaves 

 so shaped to suggest a mule's ears, and the flower.] 



rubber, however, and measures are developing in various 

 parts of this extensive republic for increasing the output of 

 of this valuable material. Not the least interesting feature of 

 the Colombian situation is the great number of tree species 

 yielding rubber of value— including Hcvca. Sapuun, Castilloa. 



"Caucho Orkja ue Mui.a." 



[The "mule's ear" rubber plant of Colombia— showing two pairs of seed 



lK>ds. ] 



Doubtless there are also several vines or creepers from 

 which rubber might be obtained in paying quantities; indeed, 

 information is being gained already in regard to such plants. 

 General Diego A. De Castro, while governor of the de- 

 partment of the Atlantico, noticed a vine in his hacienda that. 



on being cut, yielded a rubber latex. He cut several sec- 

 tions and drained them into a cup and the latex soon coagu- 

 lated, giving a high percentage of i light colored rubber of 

 very good quality. He then had the vine transplanted to 

 the patio of his beautiful home in Barranquilla, and found it 

 to be a quick growing plant, sprouting from either root or 

 seed, and yielding rubber in from a year to 18 months in 

 such quantities as to promise commercial results when han- 

 dled on a large enough scale. General De Castro hopes 

 soon to have a considerable number of seeds for distribution. 

 The plant referred to, and called by the natives the "mule's 

 ear," by reason of the shape of its leaves and seed pods; 

 is illustrated on this page. Don Diego is described by a 

 coi respondent of The India Rubber World as "one of those 

 who not only pray for Colombia's prosperity, but work for it 

 a good deal harder than they pray. he is one of Presi- 

 dent Reyes's right hand men." 



Another distinguished citizen of Colombia who takes a 

 I'Ve interest in the development of the country is Don Jesus 

 del Corral, of Bogota, who recently discovered on one of his 

 haciendas in the interior, a vine, believed to be different from 

 the one just described, which he states to be a liberal yielder 

 of rubber and easy of propagation. It is found at altitudes 

 of less than 2,000 feet. He is planting it on a scale that will 

 permit of a fair test of its commercial value. "Don Jesus," 

 says The India Rubber World's correspondent, "is one of the 

 aristocrats of Colombia, with many haciendas and mines. He 

 spends some of his time in Bogota, writing articles for the 

 press that make people sit up and take notice. When he 

 tires of telling people he goes to the haciendas and shows 

 them. He has to his credit the discovery of a plant that 

 has proved of great value to medical science." 



DEVELOPMENT IN BRITISH GUIANA. 



The British Guiana Rubber Corporation, Limited, has been 

 mentioned already in The India Rubber World [.\ugust I, 1907 — 

 page 337 — and subsequently], but until now its development has 

 been retarded by legal proceedings arising in the colony, by rea- 

 son of which a license for the company to do business was re- 

 fused by the authorities. These troubles having been overcome, 

 the company have issued a new prospectus. They announce the 

 acquisition of additional licenses from the British Guiana govern- 

 ment to collect rubber and balata, so that the area now within 

 their scope is very extensive. From October i, 1907, to February 

 18, 1908. it is stated that the company shipped 12,044 pounds of 

 rubber and balata, some of the rubber (Hez'ca) selling in London 

 at 3s. 6d. [=85'4 cents]. They are collecting forest produce now, 

 but purpose to plant rubber extensively. Registered offices, 77 

 King William street, E. C, London. 



CAPTAIN BOYNTON NOT GOING TO HUNT RUBBER. 



What was extensively advertised as a scientific expedition 

 for exploring the southern watershed of the Amazon, under 

 the leadership of Captain George Melville Boynton, of Bos- 

 ton, and which was promised to promote studies for the spe- 

 cial benefit of the rubber trade, appears to have been aban- 

 doned. The last news of Captain Boynton. under date of 

 May 5, related to his being sentenced to prison in New York 

 for three months on a charge of defrauding a hotel. 



GtJATEMSlA. 



Exports of crude rubber in 1905 amounted to 368.046 kilos 

 [=809,701 pounds], and in 1006 to 388,106 kilos [=853,833 

 pounds]. In the latter year 76 per cent, of the exports went 

 to Germany. I2'4 per cent, to the United States, and the re- 

 mainder to other countries 



