S3 



German Colonial Enterprise. 



Our Teutonic friends arc shewing signs of great activity in in- 

 troducing into their colonies plants and seeds of the chief trees which 

 give produce of economic value. Dr. Stuhlmann has been making a 

 tour of the various tropical countries, English and Dutch, to study 

 the cultivation of the various products — such as Cinchona, Rubber, 

 Gutta, Indigo, Gambier, etc., with a view to their introduction into 

 German Africa. Mr. R. Schlechter has also under the auspices of 

 the Kolonial-Wirtschaftlichen Komitees been specially deputed to 

 the East to study the Gutta Percha and Rubber question, etc. After 

 some six months enquiry, during which time he visited Java, Bor- 

 neo, Sumatra, etc. He left Singapore at the end of September for 

 German New Guinea, taking with him fifty-five cases of Gutta Taban. 

 Thirty-four cases of Gutta Sundik, (Payenia Leerii), besides lesser 

 quantities of Castilloas. Heveas, Rambong, Willughbeias, Ramie, 

 Manila hemp, Patchouli, Nutmegs, etc. It remains to be seen how 

 far the climate of New Guinea will suit these various plants ; in any 

 case, however, it shews how earnestly they have entered the field 

 of commercial activity. 



The Philippines and the Cultivation of Gutta Percha. 



The Americans too, are fully alive of the importance to the world 

 of Gutta Percha and are endeavouring to find out, first, what species 

 of indigenous guttas are found in the Philippines and whether they 

 are worth cultivation, and secondly whether the introduction of D. 

 Gutta, and others is likely to be a success. For this purpose Dr. 

 Sherman of the Forest Bureau, Manila, spent some months in the 

 Straits and Java studying the question. During his researches he 

 has found out how necessary it is to have recourse to chemical 

 analysis as the only means of determining the commercial value of 

 any particular kind ; as there are so many varieties of Gutta trees 

 whose general appearance resemble each other but that give 

 latex in various qualities. Roughly speaking D. Gutta, or oblongi- 

 folia and D. borneensis are practically the same in yield and are to be 

 regarded as the best, whereas D. Treubii and several others are much 

 inferior in the richness of their latex. The flow of latex may be as 

 copious as in the best kinds but the high percentage of resin and 

 correspondingly low percentage of Gutta renders them very in- 

 ferior. There is yet, however, a great deal to be done both botani- 

 cally and chemically in determining the different species and as- 

 certaining their value as gutta producers. I note that the best 

 quality of gutta was sold last month at §600 per picul. 



Gutta Percha in French Indo-China. 



The Government in French Indo-China is patronising the culti- 

 vation of the gutta percha tree, and planting is now being tried in 

 various parts, chiefly in Laos, also in An nam and Tonkin. Exports 

 for 1900 amounted to 339,000 kilos against 52,813 kilos in 1899. 

 A picul of good quality is worth about 130 dollars. (£13.) 



