greater variability in 'this grade. That was not so. Our 

 reason for discarding crepe rubber was that we found it 

 deficient in strength. We found, roughly speaking, that the 

 variability of crepe and sheet rubber in respect to vulcanization 

 was about the same, but that the finished product made from 

 crepe was not so satisfactory as that made from sheet. That 

 was our reason for discarding crepe rubber. 



Another point was raised by Dr. Stevens in respect to the 

 percentage of bisulphite present in some rubbers. As a matter 

 of fact, we tested a very large number of samples, and we did 

 find the percentage which I stated, and it was rather a surprise 

 to us. It came out in rather a peculiar way. We were manu- 

 facturing against a specification of sulphur content, and we 

 could not get our goods correct in respect to that percentage. 

 I. might say that the average percentage of sulphur present in 

 the rubbers came out at O'o86 per cent. I do not say that it 

 was present as bisulphite; of course, it was almost impossible 

 at that stage to say whether it was bisulphite or not that had 

 been used; it might have been some other sulphur salt. But 

 it was pale rubber, and our experience at the factory has been 

 that with pale rubbers we have had more trouble than with 

 dark ones. The experiment was only put forward more or less 

 as a suggestion that the employment of these salts might be 

 investigated. I do not think there are any other points to 

 which I have to reply. 



The PRESIDENT : We have a large number of experienced 

 planters present, and we shall be glad to hear their views. 



Mr. G. H. GOLLEDGE (Ceylon Planters' Association): 

 Mr. President and Gentlemen! The views expressed by the 

 various speakers this morning are of the greatest interest 

 to us as practical planters not, gentlemen, as those who take 

 the profits, but as the men who have to produce rubber which 

 will sell on the market at the best price while produced at the 

 lowest figure. The second speaker (Mr. Brett) incidentally put 

 the views of the planters with regard to this subject so ably that 

 I need not again refer to them. Thisi scientific aspect of the 

 question is, as you all know, in the hands of chemists, both, in 

 Ceylon and Malaya, who are engaged in research work on the 

 subject, and I have not the slightest 'doubt that in the course of 

 time we shall get some facts to work upon from the very inter- 

 esting experiments that are going on; but until we get those 

 facts, and they are supported in the market, you must not 

 expect the planter to produce a thing which he cannot sell. 

 You may, however, be quite certain that the planter will come 

 forward and produce what is needed when he is assured that 

 the market will take what he has produced. 



A. good deal has been said with regard to the excessive work- 



