November, 1909.] 



395 



Saps and Exudations. 



RUBBER. 



(Prom the Report on the Work of the Im- 

 perial Institute, 1908, July, 1909.) 



Countries of Origin.— India, Gambia, 

 Sierra Leone, Gold Coast, Southern 

 Nigeria, British East Africa, Zanzibar, 

 Nyasaland, Rhodesia, Transvaal, Cape 

 Colony, Seychelles, West Indies, British 

 Guiana, Portuguese East Africa. 



Number of rubbers received in 1908 ... 40 

 Number of rubbers reported on in 1908 ... 94 



The attention which has been devoted 

 to rubber and its cultivation during 

 recent years in nearly all the tropical 

 Colonies and Protectorates shows no 

 sign of diminution, and the number of 

 specimens reported on by the Imperial 

 Institute during 1908 slightly exceeded 

 the figures for 1907. In addition to the 

 examination of samples of rubber much 

 information and advice have been 

 supplied to Colonial Governments, 

 planters, and enquirers in this country 

 on points connected with the cultivation 

 of rubber-yielding plants or with the 

 collection and preparation of rubber. 



India.— Specimens of Para, Castilloa, 

 Ceara, and Picus rubbers prepared in 

 India were reported on during 1908. 



Para rubber (Hevea brasiliensis). — The 

 specimens submitted for examination 

 were prepared at the Government Ex- 

 perimental Gardens at Kullar and Bur- 

 liar, in the Nigiri Hills. The rubber 

 from both sources was very satisfactory 

 in chemical composition, comparing 

 favourably in this resepct with plan- 

 tation Para rubber from Ceylon, but 

 it was rather deficient in strength. 

 The specimen from Burliar was much 

 lighter in colour than that from Kullar, 

 and was consequently valued at a higher 

 price, the quotations being 5s. 4d. to 

 5s. 5d. per lb,, and 5s, to 5s. 2d. per lb. 

 respectively, with plantation Para bis- 

 cuits at 5s- 3d, to 5s. 9d. per lb. 



Castilloa rubber (Castilloa elastica), — 

 Specimens of this rubber were also re- 

 ceived from Kullar and Burliar. The 

 rubber from Kullar was of inferior 

 quality on account of the large amount 

 (32-5 per cent.) of resin present. The 

 trees from which the rubber was ob- 

 tained were, however, only six years 

 old, and it is probable that the quality 

 of the rubber will improve as they 

 become older. The specimen from Bur- 

 liar contained much less resin than that 

 from Kullar (about 13 per cent.) and 

 was greatly superior in physical pro- 

 perties. It was valued at 3s. 6d. to 3s, 

 Sd. per lb, in London with fine hard 



Para at 5s. Id. per lb., whilst 3s. 2d. 

 to 3s. id. per lb. was quoted for the 

 specimen from Kullar. 



Ceara rubber (Manihot Glaziovii). — A 

 specimen of Ceara biscuit from Kullar 

 was of good quality, containing 82'5 per 

 cent, of caoutchouc and exhibiting very 

 satisfactory physical properties. It was 

 valued at 5s. 6d. per lb., with Para 

 biscuit quoted at 5s. 3d. to 5s, 9d. per 

 lb. A sample of Ceara rubber from 

 South Arcot was much inferior in com- 

 position to the preceding specimen, con- 

 taining only 73"7 percent, of caoutchouc 

 and a high percentage of proteid. It 

 was valued at 2s. 5d. per lb., when fine 

 hard Para stood at 3s. 5id. per lb. 



Ficus elastica Rubber,— Two speci- 

 mens of this rubber, one in biscuit form 

 and the other in scrap, were forwarded 

 from Mukkie in the Kanoth Range, 

 North Malabar. Both samples contained 

 a large amount of resin and were some- 

 what deficient in elasticity and tena- 

 city. The biscuit rubber, which was 

 almost black, was valued at 2s. 6d, per 

 lb,, and the reddish scrap rubber at 

 2s. lid. per lb., with fine hard Para at 

 3s. 5^d, per lb. 



Gambia. — Ths investigation of the rub- 

 ber of Ficus Vegelii from the Gambia 

 has been continued, and during 1908 a 

 small consignment was received for 

 technical trial. The rubber was of re- 

 sinous nature, containing from 30 to 35 

 per cent, of resin, but as the result of 

 trials by manufacturers it was found 

 to be suitable for certain technical pur- 

 poses. The washed rubber was valued 

 at from Is. 7d. to Is. lid. per lb., 

 with fine hard Para quoted at 2s. 9d. 

 per lb. 



Sierra Leone.— Ten specimens of 

 rubber from Sierra Leone were reported 

 on during 1908 ; they included samples 

 of Puntumia, Landolphia and Ficus 

 rubbers. The Puntumia rubber was of 

 good quality, the dry product containing 

 87 per cent, of caoutchouc, but the 

 biscuits were of rather rough appear- 

 ance. It was valued at 3s. per lb., with 

 fine hard Para at 3s. 5^d. per lb. 



A number of samples of Landolphia 

 rubber was examined. The well-pre- 

 pared rubber was found to be of good 

 quality, containing nearly 90 per cent, 

 of caoutchouc in the dry material, and 

 it was valued at the same price as the 

 preceding specimen of Puntumia rubber. 



A specimen of rubber obtained from a 

 species of Ficus was found to contain 

 37 per cent, of resin, and was therefore 

 of inferior quality. It was very similar 



50 



