RUBBER PLANTING 169 



kind should be used. Anything sticking to the rubber 

 at once detracts from its value. The presence of the 

 smallest amount of impurity may necessitate the 

 addition of an elaborate process of purification prior 

 to the other processes of manufacture. Just as in the 

 case of tea and other products which are paid for by 

 the pound, it should be the object of the packer, 

 when making up the cases, to include such an amount 

 of rubber as will weigh a few ounces more than an even 

 number of pounds on arrival at its destination. This is 

 owing to the fact that fractions of a pound are neglected 

 in favour of the buyers, with the result that looj Ibs. 

 are paid for as 100, whilst 99f Ibs. are paid for as only 

 99 Ibs. With rubber at four shillings a pound the 

 matter is worth some attention. Some experience is 

 required for determining just the right amount that 

 should be included, owing to the fact that rubber is 

 liable to lose a certain amount of weight in transport. 



Sales and Markets. 



The largest importing market of the world for 

 rubber is New York, which receives nearly half of the 

 total supply. Liverpool and London probably receive 

 a comparatively higher proportion of the produce from 

 Eastern plantations, although the value of plantation 

 rubber is also beginning to be more fully recognised in 

 New York. The other chief ports concerned in the 

 rubber trade are Hamburg, Antwerp and Havre. In 



