Gums, Resins, 



4 



[Jan. 1908. 



Argentine.— I. 



British Consulate, Rosario, May 29, 1906. 

 Sir,— I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Circular, Com- 

 mercial (13423) of April 28tb, 1906, respecting the cultivation of rubber, and in reply 

 I have to report that in this district this industry is of no importance whatever. 



I have, &c, 



His Majesty's (Signed) H. M. MALLET. 



Principal Secretary of State 



For Foreign Affairs. 



Honduras.— II. 

 British Consulate, Puerto Cortes, June 5, 1906. 

 My Lord,— I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Circular, 

 Commercial, of 28th April last, instructing me to forward full information with 

 regard to the rubber industry in this Republic. 



At least nine-ten tbs of the rubber exported from this port is of the wild 

 quality and is of a very superior grade. Scarcely any rubber has been cultivated, 

 although there are plenty of lands available and suitable. 



In consequence of the high price ruling for the gum a large number of trees 

 have been ruined from continual tapping, and unless these trees are replaced, the 

 export must decrease. 



The quantity of rubber exported from Puerto Cortes from July, 1904, to July, 

 1905 was 48,039 lbs. 



I have, &c, 



His Majesty's (Signed) W. J. BAIN. 



Principal Secretary of State, 



For Foreign Affairs. 



British Consulate, Truxilo, June 9, 1906. 

 Sir, — With reference to your Circular, Commercial, No. 13423, in which it is 

 requested that Consular Officers should send information respecting the position of 

 the rubber industry in their districts, I have now to inform you, that rubber is not 

 cultivated in my district, but about twenty thousand pounds of wild rubber are 

 yearly exported from this Port. 



The prospects for a continual supply are about the same. 



I have, &c, 

 (Signed) A. E. MELHADO. 



His Britannic Majesty's 



Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, 

 Foreign Offiee, London. 



Rubber Cultivation in Malaya. 



AREA UNDER CULTIVATION. 



Although statistics show that tropical America contributes about 63 per 

 cent, of the world's total rubber supply, tropical Africa 34 per cent., and Asia the 

 remaining 3 per cent., British-grown rubber is steadily asserting its claim to 

 priority with the consumer at home. The small output contributed from Asia 

 includes products of the Federated Malay States, Ceylon, South India, and British 

 North Borneo, which invariably fetch the best prices in European markets ; but 

 without considering the wide field open for capital and judicious enterprise in 



