12 
for Jebe. A slightly lower grade of this may be named as about 
2 soles lower in price. There is also Sernamoi or scrap rubber, 
both of Jebe and Caucho, the average price of which during the 
year is given as 37 soles per ed Sis total value of all classes 
during the year is given as £202,916, as core pars with £206,047 
the I before, the quantities che 1,140,523 kilos. in 1897, 
and 829,935 kilos. in 1898. "This falling-off may be accounted 
for by the i increasing inaccessibility of the Caucho bearing trees, 
those within easy reach having become scarce owing to the 
wasteful method of gathering the gum. The process has been 
to cut down the tree instead of merely tapping it. 
“ The trees are all wild, and it will take some years to allow 
them to grow sufficiently to gather from again. Another reason 
for the falling-off last year, and one of perhaps : equal weight with 
the former, is that a large number of the Caucheros, or rubber 
gatherers, have gone to the Jurua and other Brazilian rivers, 
whence, however, there are grounds for saying the bulk of them 
will return. As ar i the Caucheros are not familiar with the 
collection of Jebe, or fine rubber, but they are learning, and 
when they return. = Peru will probably devote more attention 
“The ra of this to Caucho has — increased 
lately. J = s gathered by tapping the trees, a certain number 
of which a rs ced under the control of a gatherer, ahi visits 
them daily de collect the yields.’ 
 DCL.— EUCALYPTUS TIMBER FROM WEST 
AUSTRALIA. 
use of Jarrah timber (Hucalyptus marginata) and Karri 
(E e diversicolor) for wood-pavement has been noticed on 
several eese in the Kew Bulletin (1890, p. 188 ; 1893, p. 338 ; 
1897, p 219). 
Tha: following correspondence, which refers to the various pur- 
poses to which these and other West Australian woods can be 
applied, is published for general information :— 
COLONIAL OFFICE TO ROYAL GARDENS, KEW. 
Downing Street, 
Se ptember 14, 1898. 
SIR, 
I AM directed by the perdiet of State for the Colonies to 
transmit for your information a copy of a despatch from the 
Governor of Western Australia, anstédiié a oe upon the Sixth 
Annual Conference of Producers of the Colony 
I am, ete, 
(Signed) H. BERTRAM COX, 
The Director, 
Royal Gardens, Kew. 
