December, 1911.] 



491 



Saps and Exudations. 



teurs de Caoutchouc," gives impartial 

 prominence to a comparison drawn be- 

 tween the two classes of rnbber. It points 

 out that there is no chemical reason for 

 preferring one or the other ; both being 

 of the same botanical family and pro- 

 duced under climatic conditions of a 

 similar character. Moreover, it is added, 

 there is no more difference between them 

 than may be fouud between the product 

 of different regions of the same country. 



On the other hand, Senhor Mendes, 

 while giving impartial prominence to 

 the foregoing extract, urges the uuilorm 

 character of the Para article and the 

 confidence in its use, which manufac- 

 turers feel after lcng years of experience. 

 Reference is likewise made to the fluctu- 

 ations which had up to the time of 

 writing occurred in the relative values 

 of the two descriptions. These differ- 

 ences have, however, been more or less 

 adjusted by later market developments. 



Hence the statistical aspect of the 

 case, apart from that of quality, calls 

 for the prominent attention it has 

 received. 



The Question of Consumption. 



From figures already qnoied, it will bo 

 seen that consumption iu 190 * was 70,075 

 tons, as agaiust production 69,^72 tuns. 

 Whether the surplus to be figured upon 

 is 70,000 tons or a smaller amount at this 

 point, the question of consump' ion natur- 

 ally arises and has been dealt with by 

 Senhor Mendes. Taking for the future 

 the basis of a 5 per cent, yearly advance 

 on rate for 1909, he estimates consump- 

 tion on the following scale : — 



Tons. 



1909 70,075 



1910 73,573 



1911 77,258 



1912 81,121 



1913 85,177 



1914 89,436 



1915 93,908 



Deducting from the estimated produc- 

 tion 142,242 tons, the estimated consump- 

 tion 93,908 tons, there would still remain 

 in 1915 and 1916 a surplus production of 

 48,334 tons, should Sir John Anderson's 

 anticipations be realized, of of 12.C64 

 tons on the basis of Mr. Rutherford's 

 predictions. The Asiatic supply is conse- 

 quently the dominant factor iu the 

 situation. 



Estimated Decrease in Amazonian 

 Production. 



Of more immediate interest is the 

 estimate by Senhor Mendes of the 

 general result for the year 1910 and 1911, 

 shown as follows in almost the last page 

 of his work: - 



1909-1910. 

 Tons. 



World's production ... 70,000 

 Increase from the East 



Decrease from the Ama- 

 zon (10% of 1906 

 amount as) 



70,000 

 70,000 



1910-1911. 

 Tons. 

 70,000 

 4,000 



74,000 



3,913 

 70,087 

 73,500 



Consumption 



Shortage in produc- 

 tion estimated 1910- 

 1911 ... ... 3,413 



Against this shortage would come the 

 excess iu Para stock, which was on 

 Jauuarv 1, 1911, 5.852 tons as compared 

 with 3,278 tons a year earlier. 



Effect of Asiatic Increase upon 

 Brazilian Rubber. 



With reference to general prospects 

 of the Brazilian product, it is remarked 

 that the rubber from some wringae* or 

 plantations may be exported at a profit, 

 owing to its special quality, while the 

 contrary may be the case with that 

 from other locations, where labour is 

 scarce and dear, should values decline 

 through Asiatic competition, or should 

 there be a reduction iu demand con- 

 currently with a large and increasing 

 supply of the article. In these last ex- 

 pression!-, Senhor Mendes has answered 

 the quest ion pi opouuded by himself, of 

 the probable outcome of present deve- 

 lopments in the Orient- The fiual result 

 will be decided by consumption. 



BRITISH GUIANA AND INDIA- 

 RUBBER. 



By the Editor "of The India 

 Rubbkr World." 



(From the India Rubber World, Vol. 

 XLIV., No. 5. August 1, 1911.) 



Third Letter, 



Population ol British Guiana. — Coolies. 

 —The "Sea DeviT'aud the Hoafzin.— 

 Gold and Diamonds. — The •' Deadly 

 Climate."— Snake Stories. — Early Plant- 

 ings of Hevea. — Experimental Plantings 

 by the A^rricult nral Department. — Rain- 

 fall.— Shipping 1 Rubber.- Packing Seeds. 

 — The Balata Syndicate. 



Considering its area British Guiana is 

 very sparsely populated. The latest 

 census record is about 300,000 souls, one- 

 third of them East Indian Coolies. 

 There are but two cities of note, George- 

 town and New Amsterdam,. The country 



