WILD RUBBER v. PLANTATION RUBBER 67 



pavements would very likely be made of rubber under 

 such circumstances. And who can tell what the 

 morrow may bring forth in the way of a discovery 

 in which rubber is called upon to play an important 

 part ? Again, some chemical substitute may be pro- 

 duced so cheaply that the manufacturer gives up 

 buying any sort of natural rubber ; many people are 

 busy trying to invent such a substitute, but although 

 it has been found possible to make what is known as 

 " synthetic rubber " from chemicals, all the processes 

 so far invented are very expensive. Then there is 

 " reclaimed rubber " to be taken into consideration. 

 Already there are some important factories where new 

 rubber is made from all sorts of worn-out rubber goods. 

 And this " reclaimed " or " reformed " material is 

 becoming very popular with manufacturers of rubber 

 goods. 



But although the future is so very uncertain, there 

 are things actually happening at the moment which 

 tempt many people to prophesy now this, now that. 

 In glancing at the activities which are making present- 

 day history in the Rubber World, and trying to in- 

 fluence its future history, let us first see what plantation 

 rubber is doing to win favour with the manufacturer. 



The great ambition of everyone concerned with the 

 growing of rubber is to produce a material of first- 

 class quality at a much lower cost than that at which 

 the best quality wild rubber can be sold. The working 

 expenses of producing a pound of the finest Brazilian 

 rubber are about Ss. per pound inclusive of a heavy 

 export duty ; it is maintained that in course of 

 time all the plantations will be able to turn out an 

 equally good material for which the working expenses 



