32 COMMERCIAL BOTANY. 



worth $45, 10,000 trees would give a gross i-eturn of 

 $45,000. The available Crown lands in Singapore could 

 probably grow 100,000 trees, at the lowest estimate, giving 

 $450,000 in the gross outturn, though this estimate must bo 

 mere guesswork until a proper survey be made. But 

 assuming that the annual income of the colony could bo 

 increased by $200,000, or less than halt' the sum named, 

 the matter seems worth attention ; while there is reason to 

 believe that even if the yield from the native states con- 

 tinued at its present figure, the additional supply would 

 soon find a market without materially lowering the price." 



Though we have referred here to only two sources of 

 gutta namely, gutta-percha or gutta-taban from Diclmpxii* 

 Gutta, and gutta-sundek from Payeua (Ceratophorus) Leerii 

 it is very clear that the substance is yielded in the east 

 by other allied trees belonging to the Sapotacese ; and 

 though but little or nothing is known of them scientifically, 

 it is very important, both for the sake of science and com- 

 merce, that some steps should be taken to obtain materials for 

 a complete investigation of this interesting question. Though 

 the complete history of the substance is encompassed by a 

 period of forty years, its importance to the commerce both of 

 this country and our eastern possessions is immense ; and 

 there is no reason why, with the discovery of new sources of 

 produce, or the proper care and development of the old 

 sources, the trade should not still be considerably extended. 



The imports and value of gutta-percha into this country 

 have been declining for the past few years until last year, 

 when they suddenly rose, as will be seen from the following 

 returns since 1884 : 



1884 - - - 62,713 cwt. - - - val 10 462,745 



1885 - - - 53,894 - - - , 348,104 



1886 - - - 40,697 - - - , 269,808 



1887 - - - 24,145 - - - , 156,563 



1888 - - - 22,483 - - - . 181,660 



1889 - - - 48,042 - - - , 576,896 



