39 



AGRICULTURAL BULLETIN 



OF THE 



STRAITS 



AND 



FEDERATED MALAY STATES. 



No. 2.] FEBRUARY, 1909. [Vol. VIII. 



REPORT ON THE INTERNATIONAL RUBBER 

 AND ALLIED TRADES' EXHIBITION HELD 

 IN LONDON Sep. 14th-26th, 1908. 



Part I. 



This, the first International Rubber Exhibition was 

 convened with the object of demonstrating the present 

 position of a comparatively new industry and of furnishing 

 an opportunity for its further development by an inter- 

 change of ideas between all concerned. 



To comprehend the present position of the industry it is 

 well to remember that, in 1827, or 80 years ago, the world 's 

 demand for raw rubber amounted to 50 tons, and for the 

 year 1907-8 it is computed at 65,000 tons, of an approximate 

 value of £20,000,000. As a matter of fact this enormous 

 industry has been developed during the last 50 years or 

 less, for — although there has been a small demand for raw 

 rubber since 1827 — real commercial enterprise did not com- 

 mence until the discovery and perfecting of the process of 

 vulcanization by Goodyear, Hancock, and Parkes, about )>0 

 years later. Since that time the demand for raw rubber 

 has annually increased while some sources of supply have 

 been practically exhausted, and in others, the future output 

 is not assured. It should be said too, that the remaining 

 areas of the world as a probable source of wild rubber is 

 not considerable. 



