no solution of the problem to present a series of standards to 

 the producer without at the same time providing a method and 

 system whereby he can accomplish the task of uniformly pro- 

 ducing to standard. If a method of production cannot be 

 found that will ensure uniformity of output from individual 

 estates, then central factories will have to be seriously con- 

 sidered, notwithstanding the many drawbacks and difficulties 

 which at present appear to block the way to such a means of 

 surmounting variability. Sir Edward Rosling has suggested 

 that large manufacturers can blend plantation rubber on a 

 la-rge scale, as is done with tea, and doubtless manufacturers 

 are already doing this; but this requires colossal capital, and 

 will tend to keep the manufacture of rubber goods in the hands 

 of a powerful few. Whereas if the producer can supply a 

 uniform article the manufacturing field will be open to many, 

 and both producer and consumer will benefit by plenty of 

 healthy competition. 



Mr. G. STAFFORD WHITBY : Mr. President and Gentlemen 

 I should like to emphasize, if I may, something that fell 

 from the lips of Dr. Schidrowitz. He said that he thought it 

 extraordinarily unfortunate that in the past the discussions 

 which have taken place with regard to the preparation of 

 plantation rubber have been characterized to a large extent 

 by mere expressions of pious opinion rather than by the bring- 

 ing forward of concrete and definite facts experimental 

 results. I think it is particularly in regard to the subject which 

 we are discussing this morning, the subject of variability, that 

 such a remark has force, because if one enumerates, one after 

 the other, the factors in ordinary plantation procedure that 

 may possibly affect the quality of the rubber, and that, there- 

 fore, may possibly be factors in variability, one cannot but be 

 struck by their vast number; and during the last year, whilst 

 this question of variability has been canvassed so much, the 

 view has been expressed in one quarter that the cause of vari- 

 ability is this factor, and in another that the sole cause of 

 variability is that factor. We have had proposals, for instance, 

 that we should separate our rubber into that produced from 

 trees over nine years of age and that produced from trees 

 under nine years of age, and we are told that if we do that all 

 will be well. Or we are told that if only we are sufficiently 

 careful to standardize the amount of acid used in coagulation 

 all will be well. As a matter of fact, it is impossible to attri- 

 bute variability to one single factor in that way. The possible 

 factors are very numerous indeed, and I would insist that it is 

 impossible to dismiss on a priori grounds as unimportant any 

 factor that may possibly influence the result. What is required 

 in the first place, and what is required fundamentally, is more 



