128 



obtained from the two trees in those experiments, but previous 

 investigations upon this point seem to indicate that there is no 

 great difference in this respect between the two species. If this be 

 so the establishment of extensive plantations of the trees yielding 

 Gutta Taban Putih could not be recommended in any locality 

 where the much more valuable Taban IVIerah trees can be success- 

 fully grown, as there can be no doubt that the latter would give 

 the best financial results. If the Taban Putih trees can be grown 

 at higher altitudes than the other species, it would probably be 

 advantageous to establish supplementary plantations of them in 

 suitable districts. The trees yielding Gutta Taban Chaia may also 

 be worthy of further experiments il they are suitable for cultivation 

 in any districts where Taban iVTerah trees cannot be grown, since 

 the gutta percha furnished by them appears to be slightly superior 

 to the Gutta Taban Putih. 



EXTRACTION OF GUTTA PERCHA PROM 

 THE LEAVES. 



About 50 lbs. of the dried leaves of the tree yielding Guttah 

 Taban Putih {Palaquium pustulfitum?) were forwarded so that ex- 

 periments could be made to determine the amount of gutta percha 

 they contain, and the possibility of extracting it upon a commercial 

 scale. It maybe noted at the outset, however, that the examination 

 of the gutta perchas obtained from the trees has shown that Gutta 

 Taban Putih is very much inferior in quality to Gutta Taban Merah, 

 and this is also likely to be true in the case of the product from the 

 leaves of the two trees. The problem of devising a suitable pro- 

 cess for the extraction of gutta percha from leaves is a difficult 

 one, which has not yet been satisfactorily solved and at this stage 

 it would be desirable in any experiments upon the subject to employ 

 the leaves of the tree furnishing the best quality of gutta percha. 



The leaves were ground to coarse powder and were extracted in 

 various ways by different solvents, with the result that they were 

 found to contain about 2 per cent, of pure gutta, together with a 

 large amount of resinous substance. The gutta thus obtained ex- 

 hibited very good physical properties. Since the sample of Gutta 

 Taban Putih derived from the tree contained only 3 5 .6 per cent, of 

 pure gutta, the above yield would indicate that the leaves contain 

 5.6 per cent, of gutta percha of similar quality to that yielded by 

 the tree. 



It is ver\- probable, however, that the vield of gutta percha obtain- 

 ed from dry leaves in Europe is* much lower than would be obtained 

 from the same leaves by treatment on the spot. The guttapercha 

 in the leaves is in a very finely divided condition and is therefore 

 extremely liable to oxidation with the formation of resinous sub- 

 stances, so that owing to changes during transport, the quantity of 

 gutta is likely to be considerably reduced. According to published 

 statements on the subject, 9 or 10 per cent, of gutta percha can be 



