44 
way. The juices of india-rubber producing plants are saem 
or neutral, never acid. By a process of fermentation w 
savutehous as it was coagulated idunt rds any artificial means; 
The dirae recently given by tes iar Millson for the 
recovery of caoutchoue from the “Abba” tree, is admirably 
adapted for the treatment of the juice of the Forsteronia flori- 
bunda. 
The rubber from this plant is so remarkably good that no time 
should be lost in submitting samples prepared on the spot. The 
rubber cannot = Ey deteriorated by any process likely to 
be used in its recovery. 
There is no deat but that the Ciis of the natural juice 
of a plant will, in most cases, enable one to point out what pre- 
cautions should be taken to emm the best result; still, the fact 
must not be loss sight of that such an examination might lead one 
to suggest methods difficult of being carried out under surrounding 
circumstance 
The juice of the MAD Jloribunda aen greene one 
pound. of dry and washed caoutchouc, or about 22 o s of 
ordinary crude caoutchouc as DaN met with, per qu de 
A.—About 23 ounces of this product was recovered, the weight 
being that of the washed and dried article. In "colour and 
t 
perfectly, in _being solid, firm, and strong. It is a light colour 
when vulcanized. 
B.—A bout 13 ounce of this produci was recovered when washed 
and dried. It was much darker in colour than sample marked A. 
"This remark applies "Hie to the washed product, but it is not 
nearly so tough as A. 
XVIL—NEW RUBBER INDUSTRY IN LAGOS. 
; (Kickxia africana, Benth.) 
[K.B., 1895, pp. 241-247.] 
n the Kew Bulletin, E de ig 1 i» eee pe is an 
aei of rubber extrac t Lag tree 
(Ficus durar Miq.). A Pete ean is sarc my in 2 Bulletin, 
Me pe. pe at Ep [p. 150]. This rubber, although promising, 
e itse i 
n 
devoted to other sources of supply. „In West Africa it is well 
kno reial rubb 
