202 
trees to collect the gum still continues, and the productive forests 
are becoming more and more distant from the base of operations. 
The extent of country bearing the balata trees appears, however, 
to be so great that as soon as one district is exhausted another is 
discovered. Considering the total absence of modern transport 
facilities and that the product has to be carried from the forests 
over bad roads and tracks on donkey back or in ox wagons for 
distances exceeding 200 and 300 miles, it is surprising that the 
production should be so well maintained. 
The Board of Trade Journal, April 27th, 1911, states, upon the 
authority of H.M. Consul at Ciudad Bolivar, that block balata was 
shipped in 1910 to the extent of 1880 metric tons, of the declared 
value of £451,275. This is the largest quantity and the highest 
value reached in any one year up to the present. The production 
in 1909, itself a record one, was 1624 tons. The principal supply 
now comes from very distant parts beyond the Caroni and Paragua 
rivers, and from both sides of the Cuyuni, near the frontier of 
British Guiana. It is estimated that these forests contain a further 
four years’ supply. After that period it is difficult at present to 
see where any considerable quantity can come from, and even now 
these distant parts can only be worked while prices of balata gum 
remain high. Should they at any time fall below 1s. 9d. to 2s. per 
Ib. it appears that it would be impossible to continue the working at 
a profit. It is said that even now a large proportion of the block 
balata shipped from Ciudad Bolivar is not the pure article, but is 
mixed with gums from other trees like the Pendare, Purguillo. 
Mata Palo, &c. It appears that these latter gums alone would 
scarcely find a good market, and they are therefore in many cases 
worked in with balata, in the proportion of one in three. 
Those who are interested, commercially or otherwise, in this 
subject will find in “ Rubber and Balata in British Guiana,” by 
. B. Harrison and F. A. Stockdale, full and trustworthy informa- 
tion on the present condition of the industry in that Colony. 
This work has recently been issued by the Department of Science 
and Agriculture of British Guiana, and contains two maps and 
twenty-four illustrations. Price sixpence, 
At present the market for this product is firm with a limited 
supply: the “block” form realizing 3s. and the “sheet” 3s. 11d. 
er 
Previous notes on this subject have appeared in the Annual 
Reports of the Royal Botanic Gardens, 1873, p. 6, 1877, p. 31, 
1878, p. 39, 1881, p. 46. 
XXIII.—MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 
W. E. Gumsieton.—The death of this gentleman, which 
occurred on April 4 at his residence at Belgrove, Queenstown, Co. 
ork, has removed one who took a keen interest in Kew, and more 
particularly in that channel in which the energies of the establish- 
ment flow which is represented by the preparation of the Botanical 
Magazine. This interest he showed equally in a readiness to offer 
criticism and, what was of more consequence, in a constant desire 
