38 
With regard to the production of india-rubber, certain regions 
of Madagascar have been specially favoured. In ‘the province of 
Fort Dauphin, for example, where an increasing production has 
been most observed, there were only 12 to 15 tonsa year of rubber 
taken up to 1890 from Landolphia vines (Vahea) and from Mee 
of Ficus. But the discovery of the Euphorbiaceous plant, com- 
monly called * in£isy," which gives a superior latex, has wee 
an important commercial movement towards this district; the 
harvest has been collected more energetically, and this has resulted 
in the zone of the rubber production being reduced to a consider- 
able extent. 
For the last few months natives of the west of the province of 
Fort Dauphin have begun to bring a little rubber to the coast; 
but a European could not at present devote himself to regularly 
and ites coped working the substance owing to the bad state 
of e "uL n in the interior of the country. 
Duri uring the journey from the forest to Fort Dauphin, the 
cni carried on the back, in loads of 65 Ibs., loses from the 
heat of the sun a certain part of its weight. At the present 
moment, the production, together with the loss and cost of 
transport, comes to 1:05 fes. per Ib. If to this we add the expenses 
of packing, carriage to the sea, shipping charges, export dues à 
0-10 fes. per 1b., the total price per Ib. reaches 1°25 fes. deliv s 
on board the vessel in the Fort Dauphin Road. From Fort 
Dauphin Harbour alone there were exported in— 
1898 =  ..  .. 167,857 kilos. (369,285 lbs.) 
Hte lee Dum 0. (141,288 5. ) 
eee, See a 
In the Bene of Majunga, the idu bs is one of the 
articles of export which occupy the largest place in the local 
commerce, and its importance increases each day. The rubber a — 
ajunga comes from Morarano for the most part, from the bay of — 
Mahajamba, from Namakia, Soalala, Marambitsy, and especially — | 
Maintirano and Morondava. Ge aed the rubbers from the west 
coast are produced from * vines," which the natives incise without 
any > cutting even the roots in order to obtain the largest 
amount of sap. The most sought after is the “ pink rubber,” but 
one Kin finds the * ambongo,” * godroa " and * vea.” In the north 
the caoutchouc is generally prepared by the pon with sulphuric — 
aes lemon, salt, or juice of the tamarind ; in the south, on the — 
conirary, it is co agulated with salt only. The value of the latter | 
in Ser is inferior to that of the he 
ubber prepared with sulphuric acid is worth at the moment 
from 350 fes. to 360 per 100 kilos. (220 Ibs. ), whilst "hol rubbers 
hardly fetch 300 fes. per 100 kilos. 
There were exported— 
From Majunga, in 1896, 19,445 kilos.; in 1897, 41,448 kilos. 
From Nossi Bé, in n 1896, 11,340 kilos.; in 1897, 40, 766 kilos. 
From Nossi Vé,i in 1896, 122,313 kilos.; in 1897, 122, 129 kilos. 
As soon as roads become more numerous in Madagasca r, the 3 
colonists ‘who wish to devote themselves to a rational cultivation 
and working of rubber will obtain good results; but they must 
act with judgment, and not take from the plant more latex than it 
can reasonably produce 
EN A e er Sr rri 
