32 



which will form the subject of papers and discussion 

 at our meetings, and to which I shall be able only very 

 briefly to allude in this address. 



An immense impetus has been given to the cultivation 

 X of rubber, chiefly through the largely increased demand 

 which has arisen for rubber tyres owing to the per- 

 fection and general use of motor vehicles. The in- 

 creased demand occurred at a time when but few of 

 the larger rubber plantations in the East had come 

 into full bearing. A rapid and unprecedented rise in 

 the market price of the raw material took place, and 

 as a result new plantations were initiated in every 

 country, especially in Asia and Africa, in which 

 rubber can be grown, as well as in some places 

 where the chances of success were very small. During 

 this period rubber trees of every description were 

 grown in plantations on a large scale, of which 

 Hevea, Ceara and Castilloa are the most important. 

 A struggle has since been in progress from which 

 we are now beginning to emerge. There has been 

 not only competition between the rubber of these 

 plantations and the rubber derived from the forests of 

 South and Central America and Africa, the result of 

 which mainly turns on cost of production, but there 

 has also been competition between the rubber of planta- 

 tions of Hevea, of Ceara and of Castilloa, the result of 

 which turns not only on cost of production, but also 

 on the yield and quality of the crude rubbers furnished 

 by these different trees. Certain conclusions are already 

 definitely indicated. One is that the high reputation of 

 the Hevea tree as a rubber producer in countries in 

 which natural conditions are favourable to its growth 

 is established beyond all question. Ceara and Castilloa 

 trees, however, undoubtedly have possibilities in other 

 countries, the climate and soil of which are unsuitable 

 for Hevea brasiliensis. The production of rubber from 

 Castilloa trees in plantations is confronted with special 

 problems which are to be discussed at one of our 

 meetings. 



It is, moreover, established that under existing con- 

 ditions rubber from Hevea plantations can be produced 

 at a smaller cost than the same rubber collected from 

 forest trees in the Amazon region of South America. 



