358 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[March 1, 1917. 



most used are steel wire, leather, wood, prepared canvas, rubber 

 substitute, and cmnlunations of tliese substances. 

 WIRE TIRES. 

 The wire tire is made of steel wire, about 3/16 inch thick, 

 which is worked into a very close coil, the two ends being 

 welded together, so as to give it tlie proper shape. This product 

 now sells wholesale at 12 marks [$2.86], and retails at 18 marks 

 ($4.28], which is considerably more than the average price for 

 rubber cycle tires just prior to the war. Besides its high price, 

 the stccl-coil tire has the additional objection that it cuts into 

 the roads, is far less resilient than pneumatics, and is very noisy 

 in use. Some users are said to have overcome the latter ob- 

 jection by inserting a layer of felt between the rim and the tire, 

 but this certainly adds much to the cost of the tires. 

 WOODEN TIRES. 

 Wooden cycle tires, due to their low cost, have met witli fair 

 success. There are various types of these and they retail at 

 from 4 to 6 marks [$0.95 to $1.43] apiece. Some are in one 

 piece, others are sectional. The Continental Caoutchouc und 

 Outta-Percha Compagnie, of Hanover, is producing sectional 

 wooden tires that are meeting with marked success. They are 

 composed of 47 parts, which include 12 wooden tire sections of 

 3 different kinds, 12 tin plates, 12 screws, 10 connecting pins, 

 and one thumbscrew. The tin plates are used to secure the sec- 

 tions to the rim, which must be of metal itself; the screws serve 

 to attach the tin plates to the ends of the wooden sections ; the 

 connecting pins hold the sections together, and the thumb- 

 screw is on a spindle put through the valve hole in the rim and 

 is used to tighten the tire on the rim. This special type sells 

 retail at 6 marks [$1.43], which would be exceedingly satisfac- 

 tory if it represented the whole cost to substitute rubber tires. 

 In reality the expense is more than double, for in order to obtain 

 reasonably easy riding qualities, the fork of the cycle has to be 

 provided with shock absorbing springs, which are marketed by 

 the Continental company and which retail at 7.50 marks [$1.78]. 

 This places the total cost of a set of tires at 19.50 marks [$4.64]. 

 .■\nother type of wooden tire is made of one piece of wood, 

 the outer surface of which is covered with a narrow strip of 

 leather. Between the inside surface of the wooden tire and the 

 rim several steel springs are placed, with a view to providing 

 some elasticity. In addition to this both front and rear forks 

 of the cycles are of the "cushion frame" type, provided with 

 large, shock-absorbing steel springs. The cost of this outfit, 

 including the two tires and the large springs, is 36 marks [$8.57]. 

 LEATHER AND CANVAS TIRES. 

 Several leather-covered and canvas-covered tires are made and 

 sold. These are solid, the outer casings being of leather or 

 prepared canvas, and the inner part consisting of wood and 

 similar substances. To make this type of tire more durable, a 

 steel tread is often provided. Prices for these tires vary; one 

 fairly good leather-covered tire retails for 48 marks a set 

 [$11,421; another for 70 marks [$16.66]. 

 "LOBO" TIRE. 

 The tire that has the strongest claim to being a real substitute 

 for the rubber article is marketed under the trade name of 

 "Lobo." It is the product of the Kunstgummi Gesellschaft, m. 

 b. H. (Artificial Rubber Co.) of Chemnitz, Saxony, and is com- 

 posed of 2 parts, corresponding to the inner tubes and outer 

 casings of peace times. The inner part, which is the most im- 

 portant, is solid and is covered with cloth made into the shape 

 of a tire. The tube thus formed is filled with a preparation in 

 the nature of rubber substitute. The casing is built up of pre- 

 pared canvas, and wears tolerably well. The price for a set of 

 these tires is 52 marks [$12.38], and is of course sufiicient to 

 restrict their use, so that it can be said that of all the cycle tires 

 now offered and used, the sectional wooden tire of the Con- 

 tinental company is the most practical from the point of view of 

 both price and service. 



RUBBER PLANTING NOTES. 



CEYLON KUBBEK AUCTIONS POSTPONED. 



REPORTS recently received give every indication of at least a 

 temporary derangement in the financial transactions of this 

 Ipcality, caused by certain restrictions imposed by the India 

 Council, thereby seriously impeding liusiness in general, and 

 further resulting in the postponement of the rubber sales. 



It is generally expected, however, that immediate remedial 

 measures will be adopted. Efforts are being made to place the 

 labor situation on a more satisfactory basis than it has been for 

 some time past. 



CEYLON REPOET FOR 1916. 



The Ceylon Report for 1915 has just been issued. 



The year 1915 witnessed a considerable increase in the output 

 of crude rubber, as young plantations came into bearing, and 

 older ones increased their yield tlirough better cultivation and 

 tapping. 



The area under Hcvca rubber was approximately 240,500 acres, 

 almost entirely in the hands of European planters, and ranged 

 from sea level to 2,000 feet. Few new plantings were made, 

 owing to lack of suitable available land, as Hevca does not 

 thrive in the dry northern districts of the island, even under 

 irrigation. 



By far the greater amount of rubber was shipped as crepe, 

 though a certain amount of smoked sheet and biscuit was also 

 made. Prices ruled satisfactorily throughout the year, the aver- 

 age price being 1.65 rupees [54 cents] per pound. 



Experiments in the upbringing of plantations witli green ma- 

 nure, seed selection, wide spacing, artificial manuring, and the 

 best methods of tapping were carried out. Experts were en- 

 gaged in research work connected with the physical problems 

 concerning the tree, the latex, and rubber, and with the fungus 

 diseases attacking plantation Hcvca trees, which were somewhat 

 serious in the wetter districts. 



EXPORTS. 

 E.xports of crude rubber constituted a record, tlie quantity 

 being 43,574,800 pounds for 1915. 



The United Kingdom and the United States continued as the 

 principal buyers, their purchases being 55.12 per cent and 39.72 

 per cent respectively of the total, as against 62.9 per cent and 

 23.19 per cent in 1914. 



Besides the United States, France, and Russia, the only other 

 foreign country to be supplied was Japan, due to restrictions 

 necessitated by the war. 



EXPORT DUTY. 



Under Ordinance No. 17 of 1869, as amended by Ordinance 

 No. 5 of 1914, the export duty levied on crude rubber from Octo- 

 ber 1, 1915, is 7.50 rupees [$2.48] per 100 pound. 



IMPORTS OF RUBBER GOODS AT HAIKWAN, CHINA. 



The Chinese Imperial Customs have just issued a volume giv- 

 ing the countries of origin of the principal imports into China 

 during 1914-15. The following are the Haikwan imports of 

 manufactures of rubber and gutta percha: 



Haikwan Haikwan Haikwan 



From — 1914. 1915. Increase or Decrease. 



Great Britain tads 40,000 31,000 — 9,000 



Germany 9,000 — 9,000 



France 14,000 21,000 + 7,000 



Russia 186,000 90,000 — 96,000 



Tapan 47.000 202,000 + 155,000 



Other countries 34,000 41,000 -j- 7,000 



Totals 330.000* 385,000 -|- 55,000 



* Includes 58,000 Haikwan taels reexported. 



[The legal value of the Haikwan tael is .807 cents United States currency.] 



