95 



of the finest quality, Imore especially as the Para grass referred to 

 rather resembles lallang and grows in great abundance in the 

 immediate vicinity of the present installation at Tacarigus. 



In conclusion it has been thought necessary in dealing with this 

 subject to give a brief description of the properties of the paper used 

 for the publication of the Trinidad Mirror. The paper under 

 consideration is not altogether uniform in composition, some of the 

 sheets in parts being only just over half the thickness of the mean 

 average. Some of the strongest show a breaking strain in the ma- 

 chine direction of i8'5 lbs. and resist the " folding test " 1,5/1 rubs ; 

 whilst, some of the less even portions break at a figure as low as 675 

 lbs. and withstand a folding test of only 70. Futhermore, it is noticed 

 that the paper is unevenly sized, and in this respect is not quite up 

 to the normal according to specifications on paper standards. 



PARA RUBBER FROM OLD TREES. 



We published a letter which has been freely circulated from the 

 United States Rubber Company stating that their analyst cannot find 

 any difference in strength between young and old plantation rubber. 

 This is rather remarkable as it is easy to feel the difference in 

 a sheet of a five-year tree and one of 20 years' old. We therefore 

 add alletter from Gow Wilson, and Stanton, received recently, giving 

 a report on some rubber from old trees in the Botantic Gardens 

 *' which especially as regards strength " is very superior to ordinary 

 plantation rubber. Of course the rubber was prepared carefully, but 

 in no way that plantation could not be prepared. Presuming that 

 the United States Rubber Company was working with good planta- 

 tion rubber clean and well made, the only thing that seems obvious is 

 that the old trees of the Botanic Gardens produce a stronger rubber 

 and that is due to their age. 



{To H. N. Ridley, Esq., Singapore Botanic Gardens). 

 Dear Sir, 



We now have pleasure in enclosing report and valuations of the 

 two cases lightly smoked sheet rubber ex S.S. '* Egypt." 



You will notice from this report that we have a high opinion of 

 the rubber, but it is a new grade on the market, being different from 

 the ordinary smoked sheet, and it would therefore require larger 

 quantities to establish its proper value. We are rather doubtful 

 whether it would be generally recognised by the Trade that the rubber 

 is smoked, as the smell is not very distinct on the samples. 



It is very satisfactory, however, that the smoking seems to have 

 had no deteriorative effect on the colour or appearance of the rubber ; 

 this we consider a great point in its favour, and we would suggest 



