THE SUPPLEMENT TO THE 



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



Compiled by A. M. & J. FERGUSON. 



No. 5,] NOVEMBER, 1909. [Vol. V, 



RUBBER FROM BANANA PLANTS. 



A correspondent sends us for comment from 



Georgetown, British Guana, a copy of a local 



paper containing a letter from Mr. George C. 



Benson on the above subject. Mr Benson writes: 



To dispel all doubt as to whether or not the banana, 

 is a rubber-producing plant let the following simple plan 

 be followed :— 



Cut one of the lower branches of a banana tree near 

 the trunk, and then let the falling juice drip either into 

 a wine-glass or into an egg-cup till it is about half 

 full ; then let either the wine-glass or the egg-cup stand 

 for about six hours, after which moisten the fingers 

 and take off the film that has formed on the top of 

 the juice. If the fingers are moist or wet, the tilm 

 can be pressed and rubbed between the fingers, and 

 then a beautiful and pink-like ball of very soft rubber 

 will be the result. 



One mature banana tree will give from 5 to 7 lb. of 

 marketable rubber when it is properly admixed. The 

 rubber is fully worth 60 cents per lb. All that the 

 farmer now gets is about 20 cents per bunch for his 



plantains or bananas. 



fi lb. of rubber at 60 cents .. $3 CO 



1 bunch of bananas . . lg 



S3 76 



Less cost of admixing 6 lb. of rubber, about 36 ? 

 Estimate about . . $3 40 



The idea is not entirely a new one. Some 

 years ago in July, 1898, to be precise, Otto 

 Ziircher, of Kingston, Jamaica, took out a 

 patent (No. 15569), for an improved process 

 for the extraction of India-rubber. 



According to this invention bananas and 

 the fruit of other Musaefe are cleaned with 

 waterjet and then cut from the stems when 

 about half ripe. They are then cut cross- 

 wise, and the surrounding leaves, skin and 

 stem, are separated. The inner portions are 

 drained of liquid and afterwards extracted by 

 placing them radilly in a centrifugal machine, 

 or with turpentine or other solvent in a 

 vacuum. The outer parts are cut and crushed 

 and extracted similarly. India-rubber sepa- 

 rates from the liquids produced, on standing or 

 by treatment in a centrifugal machine. 



58 



India-rubber may be obtained from parts of 

 other plants by the same processes. The 

 patentee then points out the advantages which 

 were to be expected to accrue from the pro- 

 duction of rubber from cultivated plants (thus 

 anticipating present developments), and claims 

 that by his invention and the employment 

 of his improved process, the " entire and 

 immense yearly crops of musa-plants and the 

 like, and bananas in particular, can be uti- 

 lised to the fullest extent, apart from any 

 question, as to the size, weight, or ripeness 

 of the said fruit." 



From our knowledge of the anatomy of these 

 plants, we do not believe the idea is worth 

 going on with. Sections through various parts 

 of the banana plant, for microscopic exami- 

 nation, can be seen by arrangement at the 

 offices of the " India-Rubber Journal." We 

 think that a study of the latex chanels, as 

 revealed in the sections referred to, will not lead 

 to any display of enthusiasm on the part of the 

 investigator. — India-Rubber Journal, Sept. 6. 



PARA RUBBER IN SOUTHERN 

 NIGERIA. 



In view of the possible extension of rubber 

 plantations in Southern Nigeria, Mr N C 

 McLeod, the Deputy Conservator of Forests 

 in the Colony, was recently deputed to visit the 

 Federated Malay States and the Straits Settle- 

 ments in order to study the methods there em- 

 ployed for the cultivation of the Para rubber tree 

 (Hevea Brasiliensis) and for the collection and 

 preparation of its rubber. The report which Mr 

 Mc Leod has submitted to the Southern Nigeria 

 Government gives a resumd of the information 

 which he collected, and also contains sorao parti- 

 culars regarding the suitability of Southern Nige- 

 ria for the cultivation of the Para troe which 

 are of general interest. 



