42 



I would, however, call attention here to an important 

 discrepancy between the figures stated to represent the 

 output of Asiatic rubber and the actual exports. It has 

 been ascertained that not less than 10,000 tons of Jelutong 

 (Dyera costulata) are used annually, and is exported via 

 Singapore and ports to America and Germany. Jelutong, 

 is a low grade rubber, but it is of as much importance as 

 the Mexican Guayule; — indeed, there is strong inquiry for 

 it — and I can only suppose the omission occurs because 

 none of the rubber is used in Great Britain. 



If therefore Jelutong is added to the estimated output 

 of wild rubber the grand total would be 75,000 tons instead 

 of 65,000 tons. 



It should be remarked that this output of 65/75000 

 tons is not only the world's demand but also the world's 

 supply of wild rubber, and at the time of writing the former 

 exceeds the latter — especially for fine grades of rubber — 

 but a change is at hand; already — during the last fiscal 

 year — 1000 tons of cultivated rubber have been marketed ; 

 rubber cultivation is being attempted in the tropics all over 

 the world; the annual output of rubber from plantations in 

 — and coming into— bearing, is certain to increase enor- 

 mously; and a brief review of the economic situation with 

 the aid of observations made at the exhibition may be op- 

 portune. 



Commercial Eubber. 



At the exhibition there were. 30 countries represented 

 and samples of nearly all commercial rubbers were on view 

 for comparison or study. The first impression that 

 would be formed by even a casual inspection, was the pre- 

 ponderance of Para over all other rubbers. There could 

 have been an interesting exhibition of Para rubber only, 

 and without it an equally disappointing one. It is how- 

 ever, very important that the possibilities of all commercial 

 rubbers are examined, but in this review I will leave Para 

 rubber for the last. 



EuPHORBIACEAE. 



Manihot Glaziovii (Ceara rubber) was only sparing- 

 ly exhibited but the few perfect biscuits and small samples, 

 in the Ceylon and West Indies' sections, received much 

 attention. This species was obtained from the Province of 

 Ceara by Cross and distributed to the West-Indies, India, 

 Ceylon, Africa, and the Straits, about the year of 1877. 

 Until quite recently all reports in respect of yield were 



