A( i R I C U LT U KAL B U LLE T I \ 



OF II IK 



STRAITS 



A N D 



F E D E K A T E D M A LAY S T A T E S . 



No. 4.] APR 1 1., 1904. [Vol. II! Part I. 



PREPARATION OF CRUDE RUBBER. 



By F. Pears. 



Knowing the importance attached to the rubber industry as an 

 agricultural product likely to be of great importance to the Malax 

 Peninsula, I take the opportunity of addressing all those interested 

 in its preparation. Holding that there can be no competition 

 amongst rubber planters for the next twenty years at least, it must 

 be in the interests of all to bring as much light as possible to bear 

 upon the subject. At present there seems to be much diversity ol 

 opinion and many experiments going on which if they could in 

 some way be concentrated would save a lot of unnecessary time and 

 trouble. Smoking is even now advocated by some, although we 

 know of many more efficient disinfecting ingredients, and as a drying 

 medium, it singularly fails, as is proved by the quantity of moisture 

 in "Para Fine " upon arrival in London. 



To discuss this question logically we must start from the Trade 

 requirements and ascertain what our customers require. First and 

 foremost it is uniformity , the one point of vital interest and impor- 

 tance to the manufacturer. The necessity of uniformity in these 

 "lays is apparent in many trades and therefore further comment 

 would be useless. Unfortunately it will be many years before an v 

 one company or individual will be able to supply sufficient quanti- 

 ties of the raw material to establish a brand and get such good 

 prices that uniformity with bulk w ould command. The only wav 

 to get over this difficulty would be for producers to agree to pre- 

 pare their rubber in a certain way and ship it under one mark, the 

 joint property of those interested. I am fully aware that there would 

 be certain difficulties in organizing such a scheme, but still if the 

 principle is agreed upon, it should be possible to arrange the details. 

 I do not propose making any remarks as to these here as I am only 

 confining myself to suggestions for the mutual benefit of all those 

 interested in the production of raw rubber. 



The question now arises as to w hat would be the best method ol 

 preparation and the only logical answer is, one containing as few 

 impurities as possible, i.e., absolute eradication of all the mechanical 

 impurities and the removal of the organic impurities as far as prac- 



