Gums, Resins, 



396 



[November, 1909. 



in composition to the Ficus Vogelii 

 rubber from the Gambia, and would 

 realise about the same price. 



Gold COAST.— A number of specimens 

 of Funtumia and Landolphia rubbers 

 from the Gold Coast were reported on 

 during 1908. 



A sample of Funtumia elastica rubber, 

 coagulated by means of an infusion of 

 the leaves of Bauhinia reticulata, was 

 received from Ashanti. It was of good 

 quality, containing 88*5 per cent, of 

 caoutchouc, but the sheets weie of 

 rather rough appearance and not 

 thoroughly dried. It was valued at 2s. 

 8d. to 2s. lOd. per lb., with tine hard 

 Para quoted at 3s. 5Jd. per lb. 



Three other specimens of Funtumia 

 rubber from Ashanti had been prepared 

 by "creaming" the latex. They were 

 of very good quality so far as chemical 

 composition is concerned, containing 

 from 88 - 5 to 89 per cent, of caoutchouc 

 a nd low percentages of resin and proteid. 

 The commercial value of the samples 

 was however reduced by the facts that 

 the cakes had been made too thick and 

 contained a considerable amount of 

 moisture ; they were also of rather rough 

 appearance. The specimens were valued 

 at from 2s. 7d. to 2s. lOd. per lb., with fine 

 hard Para quoted at 4s. 6d. per lb. 



A fifth sample of Puntumia rubber 

 from Ashanti had been prepared in 

 biscuits by the spontaneous coagulation 

 of the latex. It was much less satis- 

 factory in chemical composition than 

 the preceding specimens, containing 

 only 715 per cent, ot caoutchouc and 

 large amounts of resin and proteid. It 

 was, however, much superior in appear- 

 ance, and was valued at 3s. 6d. to 3s. 8d. 

 per lb , with fine hard Para quoted at 

 4s. 6d. per lb. 



A specimen of " Pempeneh " rubber, 

 derived from Landolphia owariensis 

 growing in the Northern Territories, 

 was found to be of very good quality, 

 containing 90'6 per cent, of caoutchouc, 

 6 per cent, of resin, and less than I per 

 cent, of proteid. It was valued at 3s, to 

 3s. 3d. per lb., with fine hard Para at 

 3s. 5£d. per lb. 



Six specimens of latex and two samples 

 of Ficus rubber received from an estate 

 near Axim were examined. The Ficus 

 rubbers contained 22 and 27 per cent, 

 of resin, and were, therefore, of inferior 

 quality. Samples of Ficus latex which 

 were stated to correspond to the speci- 

 mens of prepared rubber were found to 

 yield products of similar character. A 

 specimen of Landolphia latex, probably 

 from L. owariensis, yielded rubber of 



good quality, but the other latices, 

 stated to be derived from species of 

 Landolphia, Tabernaemontana and An- 

 thostema, and from Funtumia africana 

 furnished resinous products of no com- 

 mercial value. 



A substance resembling gutta percha, 

 derived from the rhizomes of a plant 

 occurring in the Colony, was also investi- 

 gated. 



Southern Nigeria —A number of 

 specimens of Funtumia elastica rubber 

 prepared in biscuits or sheets have been 

 received for examination and valuation 

 in comparison witli the ordinary lump 

 rubber as prepared by the natives. One 

 sample, described as "Anyo" rubber, 

 was in the form of dark-coloured 

 biscuits which had been imperfectly 

 dried, and consequently arrived in a 

 mouldy condition. The rubber was of 

 good quality, containing 86"5 per cent, 

 of caoutchouc, and was valued at 2s. 6d. 

 to 2s, 8d. per lb., with fine hard Para 

 quoted at 3s. 5id, per lb. Samples of 

 Benin lump rubber sent at the same 

 time were val Tied at from Is. 6d. to Is. 

 lid. per lb. 



Three further samples of Funtumia 

 rubber in biscuit form were forwarded 

 from Benin City. They were of satis- 

 factory composition, containing from 

 87'9 to 89 8 per cent, of caoutchouc, but 

 were of very rough appearance. They 

 were valued at from 2s. 8d. to 3*. 4d. per 

 lb., with fine hard Para at 4s. 6d. per lb., 

 and Benin lump at 2s. per lb. 



A specimen of " Ubabikpan " rubber 

 derived from Clitandra elastica was 

 found to be of very good quality, con- 

 taining 90 4 per cent, of caoutchouc, 

 whilst the percentages of resin and 

 proteid were low. It was valued at 

 2s. 8d. to 2s. lOd. per lb., with fine hard 

 Para at 3s. 6d. per lb. 



A sample of rubber derived from the 

 Marodi vine consisted of a thick rough 

 biscuit of brown rubber, dry and well 

 prepared. It contained over 80 per cent, 

 of caoutchouc, but a rather large 

 amount of proteid. It was valued at 

 2s. 6d. per lb., with fine hard Para at 

 3s. Id. per lb. 



A specimen of rubber believed to have 

 been prepared from Ficus elastica was 

 found to be very satisfactory in chemical 

 composition, but deficient in physical 

 properties. On the latter account its 

 commercial value was only low. 



East Africa Protectorate.— The ex- 

 amination of a small ball of Ceara rubber 

 from the Kibos district showed that the 

 percentages of resin, proteids and in- 



