COITEITS 



VOL. I. 



PREFACE Page 3 



INTRODUCTION p. 5 



CONTENTS p. 11 



CHAPTER 1. 



CAOUTCHOUC, OR GUM-ELASTIC TREE. 



The Ficus elasticus. Its growth and description. The Euphorbicea tribe. The Massaranduba. 

 The caoutchouc tree of Assam. Varieties of caoutchouc, and its specific gravity. Dr. Ure's 

 analysis of the gum. Remarks on trees producing gums resembling caoutchouc p. 15 



CHAPTER II. 



NATIVE GU¥-ELASTIC, OR CAOUTCHOUC. 



The Boracca of Brazil and varieties of gum-elastic. India gum. Its solvents. Mode of gathering. 

 The Para gum. The virgin gum. Properties of the native gum. Extracts from scientific works 

 respecting caoutchouc and its varieties. Gutta percha p. 19 



CHAPTER III. 



INFERIOR GUMS AND RESINS. 



Gum Ieic, or shellac. Pine and other fir-tree gums. Bitumen of various kinds — asphaltum, coal- 

 tar, &c p. 35 



CHAPTER IV. 



EARLY HISTORY OE GUM-ELASTIC. 



Condamine's paper to the French Academy on gum-elastic. First importation of shoes into the 

 TJnited States. Para the principal place of export. Method of gathering the gum by the Indians, 

 and their manufacture of shoes and toys. European manufacture. Of Mcintosh. Of the 

 French. American manufacture. The Roxbury company p. 43 



