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THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[September 1, 1916. 



In the sandy districts of the Congo Free State and of Angola, 

 the so-called "grass" and "prairie" rubber is obtained from the 

 rhizomes of plants which, though not vines, arc also called 

 Landolphia ozvaricnsis, especially the Landolphia Henriquesiana. 



On the east coast, in German East Africa and Mozambique, 

 there is also a species of this kind, the Landolphia Kirkii, which 



is the most common and most important of all rubber vines. 

 Finally, in Madagascar, the red rubber of the east coast, from 

 Vohemar to Farafangana, is produced by the Landolphia Mada- 

 gascariensis, and the pink rubber from the Boina and the 

 Menabe districts, on the west coast, is from the Landolphia 

 spocrocarpa and tin- Laiuinlphia Feiricrii. 



The Largest Rubber Tree. 



A CORRESPONDENT in Los Angeles, California, sends us 

 a picture of what he confidently affirms is the largest of 

 all rubber trees. According to his description, the branches 

 cover a space about 112 feet in diameter. Jhe body of the tree 

 at its thickest point measures about 14 feet in circumference, 

 while each lower limb is about 8 feet in circumference. The 

 tree is not a tall growins variety, but is probably 60 feet in 



height. The roots spread over the ground for quite a space 

 around the body, giving it an odd appearance. The leaves are 

 about 6 inches long by 3 inches wide and are rather thick. They 

 contain a milk-like juice, that soon condenses and a gummy web 

 is formed. 



It has been estimated by a prominent expert on rubber that 

 this tree would make over 100 standard size tire casings. 



Speaking of rubber trees, as far back as 1852, Daniel Webster 

 in the great India Rubber Suit committed himself thus : 



It (india rubber) is a gum procured from an equatorial tree 

 found in greater or less quantities in Brazil, and called by botan- 

 ists Ficus Elasticns. . . . It is said to be, in some of its speci- 

 luc-ns, the largest tree growing on the face of the earth. There 

 are instances in which it is described as being nearly a hundred 

 feet in circumference. 



lie was in error, of course, in several errors; but the Ficus 

 F.Uistica is the world's big rubber tree. Not in Los Angeles, nor 

 in Brazil, but in Sumatra. 



There on the West coast in the town of Siboga is a really 



liig tree. It is 196 feet high, and 180 feet in circumference, 5 feet 



Ficus Elastica 



Los A> 



Es, California. 



I'rom the ground, or 60 feet in diameter — nearly thirteen times 

 as big as its California cousin. It has given as much as 100 

 pounds of rubber in a year. In the accompanying illustration 

 three natives may been seen high up on the trunk of the tree. 

 sliowing graphically its enormous size. 



Giant Ficus Elastica in Sum.-^tra. 



USES OF PERFORATED RUBBER SHEET. 



Perforated hard rubber sheet is used in storage batteries and 

 also for screening certain substances. Perforated sheet rubber 

 Iiacking is used quite extensively in canning factories for grad- 

 ing green peas after they have been shelled. The soft rubber 

 screen does not injure the peas. Perforated rubber sleeves are 

 sometimes used nn driving pulleys to prevent beh slipping. 



