284 



district visited by Hedde along streams as well as over under- 

 ground water. It makes fine smooth and straight trunks which 

 are much sought for by the natives, who use them in building their 

 shambas. On the other hand Hedde found the flow of latex too 

 slow to make collecting profitable. He further adds that the 

 rubber produced does not sell well, possibly, as he says, on account 

 of the crude mode of preparation. Attempts to take Mascarenhasia 

 rtastica into cultivation have been so far successful, as the plants 

 grew fast even in dry soil, and flowered and fruited in their fifth 

 year ; but the flow of latex at that age was far too scanty (Der 



Tropenftanzer^ X., p. 44). 



As other species of Mascarenhasia, natives of Madagascar, are 

 said to produce fairly good rubber, known as "Black Mada- 

 gascar (Madagascar noir) " it was desirable to have an exact 



analysis of Mgoa rubber. This was made at the Imperial Insti- 

 tute from a sample communicated by Mr. Battiscombe last February 

 to that establishment. Thanks to the courtesy of the Director 

 of the Imperial Institute, we are able to publish the results of 

 the examination of the sample mentioned. 



Report on the composition of the rubber from the Shimba Hills, 



by the Director of the Imperial Institute. 



Mark and weight of sample.—" Rubber from Shimba Hills, East 

 A-frica Protectorate," 104 grams. 



Description.— Single ball of rubber, about 2] inches in diameter, 

 evidently formed by winding threads of rubber upon a central 

 mass ; it was light brown, and contained a considerable quantity of 

 vegetable impurity. The rubber was fairly strong. 



Results of examination. 



Sample 

 as received. 



Composition of 

 ' . dry rubber. 



Moist 



ure 



• •• 



• • • 



• • 



Caoutchouc ... 



» • 



Resin 

 Proteids 



• •• 



• • . 



* ft 



• t • 



per cent 

 10-0 



69-0 



61 



• # • 



• • ■ 



• • • 



• ■ 



» • 



Insoluble matte 



ft ft 



• • 



# • • 



Ash 



« ft * 



per cent. 



76-6 



6-8 



3-5 



11-4 



2-29 



3-9 



W1 



2*54 



nrS^T^ 1 u Va l Ue VT 3 *- 6d P er P° und in London ; the current 

 pound a fr0m South Ameri ca was 5s. 2d per 



rnhw ar ^ S -~" T * he Sample has the usual appearance of Landolphia 

 mafctPr L ill If*? fair ( l ualit y thou S n th <> amount of insoluble 

 c^lW inn f r . hlgh - Thi8 defect could be remedied bv careful 

 fromlhe Vubber ^ ** far ** P ° 88ible ' fr a*ment S * of bark 



