43 



disappointing and its introduction being contemporary 

 with the introduction of Hevea braziliensis very little pro- 

 gress had been made. From several different countries 

 from the East, Africa, and West Indies, reports agree in 

 respect of luxuriant growth, but a scanty yield of latex. 

 This may be due to excessive humidity or to variety — as 

 there are some favourable reports from Southern India — 

 and as there are varieties of Manihot, it may be that most 

 of the Eastern species is of a poor strain, or as said before, 

 the climate is too damp. Future trials in Malaya would 

 stand the best chance of success if planted at Port Dickson, 

 or the Northern part of Province Wellesley. 



It should not be forgotten that this rubber, when well 

 prepared obtains the highest price. It grows best in dry 

 tropical countries on the poorest soils and if it can be 

 successfully cultivated it would have to be reckoned with as 

 a rubber of the finest grade.* 



Formerly Ceara rubber appeared on the market in the 

 form of ' ' scrap, ' ' being coagulated on the trees by natural 

 heat in tears or strips and subsequently collected and rolled 

 into balls. In this scrappy and impure condition its value 

 naturally depreciated but the rubber now prepared in 

 India, Ceylon, and German East-Africa, is valued about 

 the same as the best plantation Para, The Imperial In- 

 stitute published the analyses of some samples recently 

 examined. I quote the highest and lowest : — 



Ceara Rubber 



highest 



lowest. 



Caoutchouc per cent 



85.6 



82.8 



Resin 



6.3 



5.5 



Proteids 



6.2 



9.4 



Ash 



1.9 



2.3 



Other species — perhaps more valuable are: — 



Manicoba rubber (Manihot dichotoma) and M. Pia/u- 

 hyensis. 



* It will be remembered that, at tiie Ceylon rubber exhibition the novelty 

 of Lanadron block rather than intrinsic quality obtained for it the gold medal 

 over a sample of Ceara rubber. 



