THE SUPPLEMENT TO THE 



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



No. 4,] APRIL, 1908. [Vol. II. 



RUBBER IN BOLIVIA. 



We are indebted to a gentleman (Mr. F. J. 

 Dunleavy) connected with the "Bostom and 

 Bolivia Rubber Company" for a series of picture 

 post-cards, on which are given photographs 

 taken on the spot illustrative of a practical 

 "History of the Rubber tree product in the 

 making of the Hevea Brasiliensis of the Republic 

 of Bolivia, S.A." We copy the lettter-press on 

 each card: — 



B. & B. R. Co., Gomales, Kaka ; Mapir and 

 Beni Rivers Bolivia, S. A. 



Rubber. — From tree to market. Tapping a 

 rubber tree " Hevea Brasiliensis /; preparatory 

 to attaching the tichuelas to catch the latex. 



Attaching the tichuela by tapping the 

 bottom of the can with the Machadine (tap- 

 ping instrument) and placing the can below 

 the wound inflicted to catch flow of latex. 



In from three to five hours the tichuela is taken 

 from the tree and emptied into a larger can. The 

 latex gathered is taken to the Humadero (small 

 oven) with orifice on the top to concentrate 

 the smoke. The latex is poured into a dish 

 and a paddle shaped piece of wood is warmed 

 over the hot smoke, then the latex is poured 

 over the paddle and the latter is rapidly re- 

 volved. In ten seconds, the latex is coagulated, 

 formed into rubber, cured by the smoke and 

 again latex is added and so on until the latex 

 in the dish is all fabricated into rubber. The 

 rubber is then cut from the paddle and taken 

 to the plantation store awaiting transportation 

 to the markets of the outside world. The 

 loss of weight by drying and shrinking from 

 the time the rubber is received in the store 

 until it reaches the European or American 

 markets, is from 15 per cent, to 25 per cent. 



Rubber pickers in the forest at lunch. The 

 Bolivian Rubber Picker is the only independent 

 gentleman in the country. He works very little, 

 has few wants that are easily supplied, a good 

 climate and no responsibility. All that is writ- 

 ten about the rubber picker slave, is for the 



novels and people who have never run a rubber 

 plantation. They do not exist in South America, 

 nor did I ever see them in Africa ; though I 

 lived there for some years. Slaves do not sit 

 around in the sun eating lunch and smoke 

 cigarettes and take a siesta like those here. 



The photographs represent well-grown 

 fresh trees and stalwart men. They can be 

 seen at our office, by any one interested. 



RUBBER IN MEXICO. 



265, Avenida Vicente Guerrero, Chihuahua, 

 (Mexico), 30th January, 1908. 



Dear Sir, — The enclosed cutting from the 

 Mexiean Herald of 27th inst. may prove of inter- 

 est to you. — With kind regards, yours sincerely, 

 CHAS. BALDERSTON. 



RUBBER MEN TO MEET. 



planters' association to HOLD SESSION FEB. 12. 



Dr. Pehr Olsson-Seffer, who returned Satur- 

 day night from a three weeks' visit in various 

 parts of tropical Mexico, reports that the rub- 

 ber planters are all very enthusiastic over the 

 coming meeting of the Rubber Planters' As- 

 sociation of Mexico, which is to be held on Feb. 

 12th and which will be the second session of 

 that institution. It is certain that all of the 

 directors of the Association will be present, 

 including the President, O. H. Harrison ; the 

 first Vice-President, J. C. Harvey ; Pehr Olsson- 

 Seffer, the second Vice-President ; the direc- 

 tors, including A. B Coate, W. C. Guels, B. 

 Carranze, W. V. Backus, V. Paterson and L. 1. 

 Ostien. 



The programme has not been definitely ar- 

 ranged, as yet, but it is known that a number 

 of important papers will be read and that the 

 directors of the organisation will have some 

 important business to transact. 



Dr. Olsson-Seffer reports conditions on the 

 isthmus country to be excellent. Those rubber 

 plantations which are old enough for a crop this 

 year are producing well. The Zacualpa rubbe r 



