THE PREPARATION OF PLANTATION PARA RUBBER. 



By B. J. EATON, F.I.C., F.C.S. 



Government Agricultural Chemist, Federated Malay 

 States. 



Two of the principal problems in connection with the 

 plantation rubber industry at the present time are (a) the 

 investigation of the most suitable method of preparation 

 of a rubber equal or superior to Fine Hard Para, and 

 (b) soil investigations with a view to ascertaining the 

 requirements of the rubber tree, in order to increase or 

 maintain good yields of latex. I refer here particularly 

 to the cultivation of Hevea brasiliensis, the Para rubber 

 tree, which constitutes nearly 100 per cent, of the 

 plantation rubber industry. Both problems are now 

 receiving considerable attention from the point of 

 view of scientific investigation in the East Malaya, 

 Ceylon, and Java. It is unfortunate that, until quite, 

 recently, very few investigations of any value have been 

 carried 'out on tropical soils, since comparison with soils 

 in a temperate climate may lead to erroneous conclusions, 

 especially when we consider the fertility of such soils, 

 which in a temperate climate would be deemed poor. 

 Recent investigations, especially on soil biology and soil 

 physics, will probably be found capable of explaining in 

 many ways the apparent fertility of many tropical soils. 

 Both problems are for the chemist to endeavour to solve. 

 The former problem, however, is more or less new, and 

 one which could not have been completely investigated 

 during the few years since the plantation rubber industry 

 became a commercial success. Perhaps the interest which 

 is now being taken in the subject, particularly in so far 

 as British Colonies and Protectorates are concerned, 

 and the application of scientific methods in the endeavour 

 to obtain a superior product, may be well gauged by the 

 increase in the number of chemists engaged in these 

 investigations, apart from other scientific officers. 



