i87 



5s. 6H6; per lb.; it declined to 4s. 9-5/8d in 1907, to 4s. i^d. in 1908 

 (when as the result of the American crisis of 1907, prices fell on the 

 occasion to 2s. 9d.), and in 1909 the average price was 6s. 7%d while 

 this year the average will probably be higher. The diagram (P. 390), 

 by Messrs. Lewis & Peat, 6 Mincing Lane, London, E. C, shows that 

 prices of fine para and plantation rubber have had some extraordi- 

 nary fluctuations during the past three years. In 1909 find Para 

 touched its lowest (5s. 2]4d.) in April and reached its highest 

 (9s. slid) in November, a variation hitherto unknown; the previous 

 record highest price was 5s. 9d. per lb. in 1905. The average price 

 for five years, including 1909, works out at 5s. 4d., and for the last 

 ten years at 4s. 6d. per lb. On the other hand plantation Para rose 

 from 5s. I^d. in January 1909 to 9s. 8^/^d. in November, and closed 

 at 7s. 6d. for biscuits and sheets, against 7s. 6Hd. for fine Para on the 

 spot and 7s. 5d. for forward deliver>'. It must also be pointed out that 

 large contracts now have been entered into for plantation rubber for 

 forward delivery to the end of 1910 and 191 1 at prices up to about 8s. 

 per lb., and the fact that these profits have already been earned has 

 to a large extent given the cue to the present boom in the leading 

 shares and to company promotion. It is anticipated that as years 

 roll on these " forward " sales of plantation rubber will constitute a 

 large proportion of the business." 



( The Chemist and Druggist, March 1 2th igio.) 



MORE RUBBER PRODUCING PLANTS. 



Dr. P. Olson Seffer in the Journal d' Agriculture Tropicale, des- 

 cribes some more plants from South America, from which he has 

 obtained rubber. Among these there are the well known Frangi- 

 panni trees which are so largely planted in native grave-yards. 

 Plumeria rubra (the red flowered ont ), P. mexicana and P. acutifolia the 

 common white one. The latex containing 14 to 16 per cent, of rubber 

 is got by tapping but the best way of dealing with them is to cut off 

 the young branches and crush and macerate them. Mr. Seffer got 

 r pound 3 ounces of rubber from one tree, but this he thinks may be 

 exceptional. 



Another plant known as " Chupire " in Mexico is Euphorbia 

 calycnlata a large shrub giving an excellent quality of rubber. 

 The latex contains 21 per cent, of rubber, and is obtained by tapping 

 young branches. 



An undescribed Jatropha and Pedilanthus tomcntcllus a low 

 shrub, are two more. 



The latter is allied to a plant very common in gardens here 

 formerly used to make low hedges. It is too small to tap and has to 

 be tn.-atcd chemically like guayule. 



