55* 



think that the price quoted is distinctly good having regard to the 

 age of the tree. 



I am, dear Sir, 



Yours faithfully, 



E. V. CAREY. 



LA NAD RON ESTATE, 

 Muar i September 24th, igo2- 



To the Editor, 



AGRICULTURAL BULLETIN. 



Dear Sir, 



re Coagulation of Rubber. 



I hope you will pardon me for referring to this matter again as 

 I see in the last issue of the e< Bulletin'" you published my corres- 

 pondence with the H India Rubber and Gutta Percha Journal." I 

 have no information to offer and for this reason am anxious to draw 

 attention to the subject, which appears to me to have been some- 

 what neglected. Now that some estates here are nearing the 

 producing stage, it is of vital interest to all rubber planters that 

 the first consignments home produce a good impression. Of the 

 samples already sent home, some have and some have not been 

 reported upon favourably and in no instance, that I am aware of, 

 has the price exceeded that of fine Para, which we are told contains 

 15% to 18% of impurities. This points to the fact that, at any rate, 

 no satisfactory method of coagulation is generally known. Several 

 methods have been recommended from time to time, but is it sure 

 that any of these bring the rubber to such a state of purity that 

 the manufacturers will suffer no loss from washing? I am of opi- 

 nion that experiments (co-operative or otherwise) should be carried 

 out until all rubber planters here are in possession of a method by 

 which this happy result can be obtained. 



The reply to my letter in the last Bulletin, already referred to, 

 was written by Dr. CARL WEBER, an emine nt chemist, whose spe- 

 ciality is rubber and gutta. The treatment he mentions as not 

 being public property, will shortly become so, as he is at present 

 on a mission to Central America in connection with the coagula- 

 tion of rubber, and the results of his investigations and moreover 

 this treatment will be published in full in the li India Rubber and 

 Gutta Percha journal." These articles should contain most useful 

 information, well worth the attention of all planters and the me- 

 thods described, tested to ascertain whether they are applicable 

 to this country. 



Referring to the extract from the u India Rubber and Gutta 

 Percha Journal " giving the analysis of a sample of a rubber ob- 

 tained in the Malay States, from a Hevea plantation, it would be 

 extremely interesting if some of your readers could inform us as 

 to its origin and also method of coagulation. 



