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FOREST PRODUCTS 



Had the native resources of the various rubber trees been depended 

 upon, it would have been quite impossible to meet the heavy demands. 

 Prior to 1900 the wild rubber trees suppUed practically all the world's 

 supply of rubber. Since that date, however, the production of rubber 

 from planted trees in the Far East has made remarkable strides and in 

 1918 furnished over 83 per cent of the world's supply. 



The successful attempts to transplant the principal original source 

 of rubber, which is generally called Para rubber {Hevea hraziliensis) , from 

 its native habitat in Brazil to the Far East has revolutionized the entire 

 industry. 



Photograph by U. S. Rubber Comvany. 



Fig. 108. — Two-year-old rubber trees grown in plantation in Sumatra. One company has 

 70 square miles of planted rubber trees. 



The total annual value of rubber products in this country is estimated 

 (1919) at over $1,000,000,000. The United States consumes about 70 

 per cent of the total world's rubber production. 



HISTORY 



The history of the production and manufacture of india rubber has 

 been full of interest. Although rubber, as a material, has been known for 

 many centuries, its development and extensive use has taken place 

 within the past century. The development of the automobile industry 

 has been the impetus which has created an enormous demand for rubber 



