260 
It is necessary in the first place to point out that rubber from the 
Abba tree similar to that under notice has already been investigated at 
this establishment, In the Kew Report for the year 1878, p. a notice 
It will be noticed that!in the report furnished by the India Rubber, 
Gutta Percha, and Telegraph Works Company it is stated that the 
specimens received from Mr. tain show an alkaline OR and that 
on this and other grounds, such as the presence of resin and "e soft 
clammy condition, “it ean evidently. not be used by itself in any for 
> 
contain xi ce has very marked chemical differen 
he ied of the inquiry so earefully conducted by the India Rubber 
mpa d appear to show that the juice of Ficus Vogelii does not 
it 
hitherto prepared from this tree has been treated with acetic acid, an 
ifthis is the eta possibly in this direction may be found a solution of 
the problems involved, 
It is inibi in any future experiments carried on with india-rubber 
on the West Coast that larger samples be forwarded. to this country for 
the purpose of testing the quality. In the report it is stated that about 
100 Pm unds is necessary to test rubber in a thoroughly practical 
ord er to afford every information to the Government of Lagos in 
a fa 
if the experiments are continued, as it is hoped they will be, and if 
the valuable suggestions contained in the report are carefully carried = 
pr cvs commercial rubber, 
‘Ther W Subjects at the present time of greater importance than 
a careful investigation of caoutchouc plants, and the extensive distribu- 
tion of Abba trees in West Africa indicates a wide and useful field of 
inquiry. 
I am, &c. 
(Signed) D, Morris, 
Min R.G. w Herbert, K.C.B., 
Colonial Office, 
Mr, ALvAN Mırisow to Royan Garpens, Kew. 
Badagr st Africa, August 16, 1888, 
Your letter of the 4th ultimo pos me yesterday. I regret that 
the samples of rubber sent by me were—owing to the difficulty of 
.7* Para rubber is yielded by Hevea brasiliensis and Accra rubber by Landolphia 
» * = * s 
