Gums, Resins, 



204 



had not '• caught on " in Ceylon. Two or three thousand rupees expended on such 

 a representative exhibition would consequently be but a small acknowledgment 

 by the authorities of favours past in the matter of good prices of land and 

 of many more to come ! Early notice of the show widely made would ensure 

 exhibits from the Malay States, and elsewhere in this part of the world, of 

 various kinds of rubber— besides, there is its washing machine !— and in addition 

 Mr. Wright might get a representative collection of American and African 

 samples of rubber such as none of us have ever seen. — Times of Ceylon. 



WASHED RUBBER FROM THE FAR EAST. 



There seems to be a di versity of opinion as to the wisdom shown in preparing 

 rubber as it is now coming from the Far East— that is, rubber in what is known as 

 the " washed"' form. To-day the market receives two kinds of washed "Para" from 

 Ceylon and the Federated Malay States, one of which is known as "crepe" and the 

 other as "worm*' rubber. The physical shape of these two types is due to the 

 machines through which the latex passes in the process of coagulation and in getting 

 rid of the water. The special objection that importers and brokers have against 

 rubber in this form is their fear that the manufacturer will look upon it as a partially 

 manufactured product ; that it has been handled on rolls similar to those that they 

 use in compounding, and, therefore, that it may be adulterated. On the other hand, 

 he planters find that they can handle the latex much easier and more rapidly, and 

 have apparently determined to deliver it in one or both of these forms. The chances 

 are that unless some better method is discovered, the planters will triumph. 



Samples of the rubber that have been examined by the writer are excellent, 

 and it can easily be proved whether adulterants are present or not by very simple 

 tests, .further than this, there does not seem to be the slightest fear that any of the 

 Far Eastern planters will adulterate their rubber. The tendency has been from the 

 start to make just as good a product as possible, and to identify whatever is sent out 

 with the plantation where it is grown. It is possible that the customs offices in 

 "protection" countries may at first classify such rubber as a manufactured product, 

 but there is little doubt but that such decisions coidd be reversed if the matter were 

 put before the proper officials in the right way. What is needed more than anything 

 else is to get out more rubber, and whether it is " crepe " or " worm " or " pancake " 

 or " sheet" it is bound to find a good and profitable market, and in the long run the 

 simplest method of coagulation and handling is that which will prevail.— The India 

 Rubber World. 



REVIEW OF PARA PRICES FOR 1905. 



Early last January, hard, fine sold at 5s. Oid., soft 4s. 10|d., scrappy negro- 

 head 3s. 9c?., Cameta 2s. 9£d., Caucho Ball 3s. 3id. Prices soon advanced 2^d. and again 

 2d. in February, and the highest price of fine hard was paid in March, fine hard 

 5s. 9cl., soft 5s. Ihd., scrappy 4s. 3d., Island 3s. 0d., ball 3s. 7|d. By the end of 

 March prices declined 2d., but recovered in April, and in May 5s. 9d. was again 

 obtained for fine hard (5s. 8kZ. soft, being scarce), but only 3s. Id. for Island 

 against 4s, Id. paid for scrappy and 3s. 4d. to 3s. 6d. for ball. By the middle 

 of July values declined 4d., hard 5s. 4^d., soft 5s. 3fd., scrappy 3s. 9d., Island 

 2s. 9^2., ball 3s. 4jd. During August we advanced 2d., and the sinking of the " Cyril " 

 early September pushed up values to 5s. 8d. fine hard, 3s. lid. scrappy, 2s. lid. 

 Island, and 3s. 9hd. ball. Values fell constantly from 5s. 6d. end of September 

 to 5s. 2|d. for hard, end of October, ball 3s. 9d. to 3s. 63d. forward. In begin- 

 ning of November large receipts caused a decline to 5s. lfd. hard, 5s, l|d. soft, 

 3s. 10£d. scrappy, 2s. lid. Island, but ball, being very scarce and over-sold, 



