71 
3-  It  is  quite  clear  from  the  brokers’  report  that  natural  coagula- 
tion affords  the  best  results  and  that  the  only  admissible  artificial 
coagulating  agent  is  acetic  acid. 
The  point,  however,  which  it  is  important  to  notice,  is  that 
Para  rubber  can  be  produced  in  the  Straits  Seltlements  from  ten 
years  old  trees,  which  is  worth  eight  pence  a pound  more  than  the 
best  equivalent  Brazilian  product.  I may  be  permitted  to  feel  some 
satisfaction  at  this  result  seeing  that  the  trees  which  have  furnished 
the  rubber  now  reported  on  are  the  descendants  of  those  trans- 
mitted from  Kew  to  the  Straits  Settlements  in  1877;  these  were 
para  of  the  first  consignment  of  Para  rubber  trees  to  the  tropics  of 
the  Old  U'orld. 
5.  I have  no  doubt  that  the  Straits  Seltlements  is  now  in  pos- 
session of  a new  and  important  cultural  industry.  The  facts  stated 
above  are  therefore  of  sufficient  importance  to  bring  under  the 
notice  of  the  Secretary  of  State  and  to  be  placed  on  permanent 
record.  Mr.  Chamberlain  will  no  doubt  cause  them  to  be  com- 
municated to  Mr.  Stanley  Arden,  in  official  course. 
1 am,  etc  , 
(Sd).  \V.  T.  THISELTON-DYER. 
(Copy) 
MESSRS.  HECHT,  LEVIS  AND  KAHN  TO  ROYAL 
Riri'ANIC  GARDENS,  KEW. 
36,  Ff.nchurch  Street,  Lo.n'don,  E.C., 
December  igtJi,  igo2. 
Dear  Sir, — We  have  examined  the  samples  of  Para  Rubber 
from  Selangor  which  you  submitted  to  us.  We  are  of  course  not 
chemists,  and  can  only  judge  the  Rubber  from  its  elasticity’,  strength 
and  freedom  from  dirt. 
With  ordinary  Hard  Cure  Fine  Para  worth  to-da\^  3v.  ^d.  per  lb., 
we  should  estimate  the  value  of  your  samples  as  follows:  — 
about  4/4  per  lb. 
2 and  6 ,,  4/3  ,, 
5 4/2  ,, 
4 •••  „ 4/1  ,, 
3 • • • ))  4/ 
7 n 3/4  M 
decidedly  weaker  than  others,  and  on  the 
whole  we  think  the  less  acid  used  in  coagulation  the  better.  Sam- 
ple No.  I,  coagulated  without  acid  at  all,  is  certainly  the  best  of 
the  lot. 
No. 
Nos. 
No. 
No. 
No. 
No. 
Numbers  3 and  4 are 
We  remain,  etc  , 
HECHT,  LEVIS  AND  KAHN, 
