THE SUPPLEMENT TO THE 



Tropical Agriculturist and Magazine of the G. A. 8. 



Compiled by A. M. & J. FERGUSON. 



No. 1,] 



JANUARY, 1910. 



[Von. VI. 



RUBBER FROM WEST AFRICA. 



SOUTHERN NIGERIA. 

 The following specimens ot rubber from 

 Southern Nigoria have been examined recently 

 at the Imperial institute : — 



Funtumia Elastica Rubber. — Three specimens 

 of this rubber, prepared in biscuit form, were 

 forwarded by the Provincial Forest Officer at 

 Benin City for comparative examination. 



'A. Biscuit rubber made from F. elutica, 

 under supervision of A H Unwin, Provincial 

 Forest Officer, Benin City.' Weight, I lb.— The 

 specimen consisted of rough sheets of rubber, 

 varying in colour from light to dark brown, 

 clean and well prepared. The rubber exhibited 

 good elasticity and tenacity. An analysis of it 

 showed it to have the following composition : — 



Rubber as 

 received. 



V6 



Composition of 

 dry rubber, 



Percentage 

 of 



Moisture 



Caoutchouc; S7'9 89-4 



Resin ... 8 - 5 8'6 



Proteids .. f6 re 



Ash .. 0-4 0-4 



8 The rubber was valued at 3s 2d to 3s 4d per 

 lb. in this country, with fine hard Para rubber 

 at 4s 6d per lb. and Benin lump rubber at 2s to 

 2s Id per lb. on the same date. 



'B. Biscuit rubber made from F. elastica, by 

 lgodaro, Deputy Forest Ranger, Benin City.' 

 Weight, 1 lb.— Sheets of rubber similar to 

 sample A, but rougher and darker in colour. — 

 The rubber had the following composition :— 



Percentage 

 of 



Moisture 

 Caoutchouc 

 Resin 

 Proteids 



Insoluble matter 



Rubber as 

 received, 



71 

 81-6 



8'3 



2'3 



0-7 



Composition of 

 dry rubber. 



87-9 

 8*9 

 2-4 

 0'8 



Ash .. 0'40 0'43 



The specimen was valued at 33 to 3s 2d per lb. 

 in this country, with tine hard Para at 4s 6d per 

 lb, and Benin lump rubber at 2s to 2s Id per lb. 



'C. Biscuit rubber made from F. elastica by 

 the natives, and sold by them to the Factory, 

 Benin City.' Weight, 1| lb.— Coarse sheet rub- 



ber of uneven thickness, dark colour, and not 

 thoroughly dried. Tho rubber was alittlo weaker 

 than the other samples. The rosults of the 

 chemical examination were as follows : — 

 Percentage 

 of 



Moisture 

 Caoutchouc 

 Resin 

 Proteids 



Insoluble matter 



Rubber as Composition of 

 received. dry rubber. 

 8-4 — 

 787 Sa-8 

 8-3 9-1 

 S.'l 



rs 



2*0 



Ash .. 0"63 0-69 



The rubber was valued at 2s 8d to 2s 9d per lb. 

 in this country, with line hard Para at 4s 6d per 

 lb, and Benin lump rubber at 2s to 2s Id per lb. 



THE RESULTS 



of the investigation show that these three 

 samples of Funtumia rubber are of very fair 

 quality, and it is evident that if prepared in 

 this form the rubber will realise much higher 

 prices than the ordinary Benin Lump rubber. 

 Sample A., prepared under the supervision of 

 the Forest Officer, was the best of the series, 

 both as regards chemical composition and ap- 

 pearance, but was closely followed by B. Sample 

 C, prepared by the natives, contained a larger 

 amount of proteid and insoluble matter than 

 the other two specimens, and the percentage of 

 caoutchouc is correspondingly reduced ; it was 

 also much rougher in appearance and had not 

 been dried so thoroughly. For these reasons 

 its value is a little lower than that of the other 

 samples. The preparation of Funtumia rubber 

 in the form of sheets is a great improvement on 

 the usual native methods, and should be en- 

 couraged as far as possible. 



BENIN LUMP RUBBER. 



Two specimens of this rubber have been 

 examined : — 



1) "161 B." Weight, 8J lb.— The sample con- 

 sisted of two large lumps and one thick 

 " biscuit" of rubber, which were dark-coloured 

 and dirty externally, but white, porous and very 

 moist within. The rubber was soft and had a 

 very disagreeable odour ; its physical properties 

 were, however, fairly good. 



10 



