282 



The proportion of resin is higher than with Brazilian, this rnay 

 be due to overheatine: ckiring the smoking process, which, as you 

 mention, was the case. 



I send you a sample of washed and dried Caoutchouc and a cake 

 of the manufactured article made of the same material, marked "S." 

 A second cake marked "P." is made of Brazilian Rubber. As you 

 will see the quality marked "S" is just as good as the other one. 



Kindly communicate to Mr. Ridley and Mr. Derry the above 

 mentioned results. 



I am. 



Yours etc., 

 (Signed.) Ad. PRINZHORN. 



As already remarked, the inexperience of our operators was 

 against the preparation of good marketable samples but the reports 

 agree that the rubber prepared by smoking is only a little below fine 

 hard para which, we suspect, is the produce of a species of Hevea 

 which is local and is not the common Para tree of Eastern Brazil. 

 These reports confirm the opinion we hold of the importance of 

 developing well-matured trees. The difference in the physical tests 

 and appearance of rubber from young or old trees coagulated with 

 such re-agents as Acetic acid is not, or scarcely, perceptible, but 

 under the smoking process the superior strength and elasticity of the 

 resulting rubber from old trees is manifest. 



It should be referred to in conclusion —that so far, (and probably 

 is will be so for the next few years), plantation rubber has not 

 had to stand the test of its keeping qualities in the crude state. This, 

 we are convinced, will be improved by creosoting or smoking. Un- 

 smoked rubber of any grade perishes much earlier than smoked 

 samples. 



In smoking biscuits or sheets such rubber should be surface-dry 

 before smoking as smoke quickly darkens wet rubber but if surface- 

 dry, the light pale colour is still retained provided that the smoke is 

 dry, and the curing house thoroughly well ventilated so that the 

 smoke escapes freely. Retained smoke soon becomes overcharged 

 with moisture. The following reports have been received on rubber 

 smoke cured in the Singapore Garden :— 



[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." 



