Gums, Resins, 



4 



[July, 1910. 



with more than half in volume of the 

 crude rubber used, and vastly more than 

 half in value, for the most part depend 

 upon foreign markets for their food, 

 clothing, and other requirements in life. 

 The introduction of agriculture in 

 Amazonia means making the seringaes 

 self-sustaining and independent of the 

 outside world, with the ultimate result 

 of a better systemization of the rubber 

 producing industry and its more econo- 

 mical conduct, all of which leads to 

 (1) better and more certain profits for 

 the producers ; (2) more certain and 

 more regular supplies for consumers; 

 and (3) a laree reduction in the cost to 

 consumers. 



Hand in hand with this step in pro- 

 gress must be improved commercial con- 

 ditions, not only in the Amazon region, 

 but between the states there and the 

 outside world, which will facilitate the 

 saleand transportation of rubber.and the 

 foundations for which are already being 

 laid. The Congress lately held at Manaos 

 was essentially a rubber Congress, for 

 the reason that, as has been intimated 

 in this article, there is no other interest 

 on the Amazon river about which or 

 in regard to which any kind of Con- 

 gress could be convened. At the same 

 time it was properly described as a 

 commercial and agricultural Congress, 

 its promoters having iumind the general 

 proposition that the best development 

 of the Amazon rubber interest involves 

 general agriculture and the moderniz- 

 ation of its commerce, instead of, as in 

 the past, dealing with rubber as a sole 

 interest, without regard to conditions 

 existing elsewhere in respect of rubber 

 or trade in general. 



The Final Conclusions. 

 As has been mentioned, the results of 

 the discussions during the week were 

 formulated in a series of " conclusions,' 

 adopted at the last ordinary session, by 

 a vote of the Congress. These follow : — 



I. 



The Congress looks upon the planting 

 of the rubber tree in Amazonia as an 

 urgent and unavoidable necessity. 



II. 



For the encouragement of such plant- 

 ing the Congress considers the following 

 measures useful :— 



(a.) The making of model plantations 

 of Hevea rubber by the States, munici- 

 palities and agricultural and commercial 

 associations, on their own account, and 

 for commercial purposes. 



(&.) Free concessions by governments 

 of the lands intended for that culti- 



vation ; reduction of export duties on 

 cultivated rubber. 



(c.) Propaganda through the press and 

 by circulars and pamphlets showing the 

 advantages of planting, and giving 

 practical advice upon the means of 

 making the plantations. 



id.) Broad distribution of seeds and 

 plants of the Hevea Brasiliensis. 



III. 



Regard i n g the seringaes (rubber estates) 

 already exploited, representing an enor- 

 mous capital, already productive, and 

 which should not be neglected, the 

 Congress advises the present owners : — 



(a.) To interplant and to replant the 



existing estrades (paths). 



(6.) To plaut in open spaces in the 

 forests or in clearings made in them. 



IV. 



The Congress recommends to the 

 Government to make an extensive pro- 

 paganda in Europe, and particularly in 

 the United States of America, on the 

 advantage of investing capital in the 

 rubber industry in the Amazon valley. 



V. 



In order to encourage the establish- 

 ment of new plantations of rubber trees, 

 the Congress advises the federal govern- 

 ments, and especially those of Para, 

 Amazouas, and Matto-Grosso, to make a 

 uniform price for the lands intended for 

 the extractive industry and to limit 

 themselves to the lowest prices at 

 present ruling in those States. 



VI. 



The Congress advises the governments 

 to protect by special laws the caucho 

 trees (CastUloa Ulei), and recommends at 

 the same time the maintenance of forest 

 preserves in which it shall be forbidden 

 to cut these or other trees, in accordance 

 with the ideas expressed by Mr, J. A. 

 Mendes, in his work entitled" A 

 Producao do Caucho." 



VII. 



The Congress does not advise any- 

 thing, in the present state of our know- 

 ledge of the cultivation of caucho and 

 other inferior kinds of rubber, to private 

 parties, in the face of the unquestionable 

 superiority of the Hevea. 



VIII. 



The Congress entirely agrees with 

 the opinions of Dr. Jacques Huber, 

 expounded in his treatise " Processos de 

 Extraccao," on the methods of tapping 

 rubber trees. 



