478 



The Supplement to the Tropical Agriculturist 



WORLD'S VISIBLE SUPPLY OF 

 MJBBER. 



Satisfactory Position. 



Mr H V E Longworthy, of 9, Mincing-lane, 

 E.C., reports, under date of October 5th as fol- 

 lows: — The world's visible supply of Para and 

 Oaucho «n October 1st was 6,328 tons, against 

 4,721 tons on the same date last year ; thus the 

 world's visible supply is now only 1,607 tons iD 

 excess of that of last year, whereas on May 1st 

 the world's visible supply was showing an in- 

 crease over the previous year on the same date 

 of 7,569 tons. 



Another feature of interest are the deliveries 

 for the month of September of Para and Caucho 

 at Liverpool. The imports are given as 866 tons, 

 whereas the deliveries are 1,953 tons. The 

 figures for the whole of England for the month 

 of September show that we imported 2,901 tons 

 whereas the deliveries were 3.888 tons, and the 

 stock on 1st instant was 3,920 tons, against 

 4,660 tons last year. 



AMERICAN MARKET ADVICE8 



do not indicate any recovery in the demand for 

 the raw commodity, which is still very slack, 

 although it is thought possible that prices may 

 be marked higher. The manufacturers of motor 

 vans and lorries are combining in several 

 instances, so that savings in expenses may im- 

 prove the position of the respective companies. 

 The tyre trade is reported as being still very 

 good, with all factories running at full time. 

 The usual monthly statistics issued by the Gov- 

 ernment Bureau of Commerce at Washington 

 show that the 



INCREASE IN THE EXPORTATION OP MOTORS OF 

 AMERICAN MANUFACTURE 



has been almost as rapid as the growth in their 

 use in the United States. The total value of 

 automobiles and parts thereof exported in 1901, 

 only a decade ago, was less than $1,000,000 ; in 

 1902 it passed the $1,000,000 line; in 1903 it 

 was more than $1,500,000; in 1905 $2,500,000 ; 

 in 1906 $4,500,000; in 1907 $5,750,000; in 1909 

 $7,750,000; and in 1910 $13,000,000. For the 

 seven months of the year for which export statis- 

 tics are available, over $9, 000, 000 worth of auto- 

 mobiles were exported, $2,000,000 worth of parts 

 thereof, other than tyres, and $1,500,000 worth 

 of tyres, making the aggregate for the seven 

 months $12,500,000. Should the exports con- 

 tinue at the same rate during the five remaining 

 months of the year, the total would cross the 

 $20,000,000 line.— F. Times, Oct. 3. 



In view of the more irregular market ruling 

 for the standard commodity, we give the follow- 

 ing figures, showing the statistical position at 

 October 1st, for which we are indebted to Messrs 

 Lewis and Peat.: — 



Tons. 



Increase in receipts during September, 1911. 



against September, 1910 . . 615 



Decrease in receipts -July-September, 1911, 



Para sorts against last year ., 565 



Increase in deliveries— September, 1911, 



against September, 1910 .. 2,070 



Increase in visible supply Para kinds, 



against October 1st last year .. 2,487 



Decrease in stock, London and Liverpool, 



September 30tb, 1911, against stock 30th 



September, 1910, all sorts «. 293 



-Ibid., Oct, 5. 



CEYLON AND MALAYA RUBBER 

 E XHIBIT S. 



Some Expert Criticism. 

 The following criticisms on the Ceylon and 

 Malayan Exhibits at the Rubber Exhibition 

 in London, have been written by Messrs Lewis 

 and Peat. 



"We feel," say Messrs. Lewis and Peat, of 

 Mincing Lane, " we must begin this little 

 criticism by congratulating planters on the 

 excellent quality and condition of practically all 

 the samples sent in for exhibition. The im- 

 provement in the preparation against the last 

 exhibition is the most striking feature. The 

 bulk of the samples of Hevea shown were in 

 blanket crepe form, and nearly all were well 

 nigh perfect. We are still of the opinion as 

 expressed in our Details for Planters, published 

 in January, that the two best forms of prepar- 

 ation most suitable for the market and the 

 most readily saleable are blanket crepe fand 

 smoked sheet, and at this Exhibition prac- 

 tically alt the Estates, both in Ceylon and 

 Malaya, sent most excellent exhibits prepared 

 in either or both of these two ways. Colour 

 is not of such importance as formerly in 1st 

 latex rubber, but oil stains and any admixture 

 of scrap, cupwashings or lower grades is very 

 strongly objected to. Also scrap and bark or 

 shavings rubber must be kept separate and all 

 made into thick gristly crepe. 



"Wecannotsay much yet about smoked crepe, 

 as comparatively little has been sent so far, 

 but this grade is shortly to be admissible on 

 1st latex contracts and is fetching very similar 

 prices as unsmoked crepe or sheets at auction. 

 Up to now the parcels sent have been inclined 

 to be sticky, especially when crepe is thin, and 

 care must be taken to make the smoked, when 

 it is finished, quite as thick as the unsmoked. 



"Owing to the much larger quantity of 

 smoked sheet coming to the market the pre- 

 mium ruling until quite recently has practically 

 disappeared, but the grade is as popular as 

 ever, and as readily saleable as any other make 

 offered. The use of heavily ribbed rollers has 

 done a great deal to improve the condition 

 and we see very little mouldy now and prac- 

 tically no stuck and heated smoked sheets. 



" Scrap in good gristly blanket form is in 

 great demand, and fetches much better prices 

 than iu the loose form." 



£1 ,000,000 RUBBER AT~AUCTIONS. 



In London in Eight I Weeks. 

 At the public auction sales of plantation 

 rubber, one broker succeeded in clearing off 200 

 lots in fifty minutes, which is probably a record. 

 The Vallambrosa Company has sold at this sale 

 about eight tons, of the estimated total value of 

 £4,250. Since the 1st September to date, 

 according to a computation made in the ' Lane,' 

 1,600 tons of plantation rubber have been sold 

 in that centre, amountiug in value to about 

 £1,000,000, which will revert to the various 

 Eastern plantation companies. It is also stated 

 that manufacturers generally are now taking 

 this description of the commodity, and as will 

 be seen above are paying higher for it than for 

 Brazilian. Pa,ra.—F, Times, Oct, 19. 



