DEC. 1, 1903.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
373 
your Chairman has referred to ; and in this connection 
some people seemed to be scared on observing rubber 
trees in some places dropping their leaves. 1 his 
dropping of leaves and even branches I think is clue to 
climatic or unforeseen reasons, During the short time 
I was in this district I saw trees which had pre- 
viously dropped their leaves and had dead branches 
on them recovering, producing buds, and pnshing on. 
I am quite certain that this nectria fungus was 
not responsible for the abnormal dropping of leaf 
and drying of certain branches. This is a question 
which I should wish to have gone into rather more 
fally but you will understand that, when one has 
something in hand to deal with, it is better to 
devote one's attention solely to the point in question. 
Therefore I hare not very closely studied this question 
to ascertain the exact cause for this dropping of 
the leaves I have not found that any typically- 
diseased trers had dropped their leaves, nor had they 
dead branches. So we may take it that there is 
no connection between nectria in rubber and any 
abnormal dropping of leaves, or dying back of branches 
which are probably due to an abnormal season or 
to a tree being in an unsuitable place, or, through 
some accidental reason, not being able to do so well 
as its neighbours. t u 
In reply to questions Mr. Carruthers said : 1 nave 
not searched the nurseries. The trees I have seen the 
fungus on were about two years old. I do not think 
there is any reason to suppose that the fungus would not 
attack plants. I have not inspected very voung plants 
and am not sure on this point. I think it is more 
than possible that the smooth bark of (the young 
plant will not induce the spores of the disease to sett le 
on it, whereas if you had a wound on any tree, 
it is possible that the disease will get a hold on 
that tree by the spores settling on the wound. I 
have not, however, seen the canker in nursery plants. 
If you have the canker in nursery plants, there is 
no doubt the disease will very soon show itself because 
it will kill the plants. » „t.- 
The Chairman later proposed according to the limes 
of Ceylon " the following motion :— " 'JJhat this meeting 
ii gratifiied to hear that the number of rubber trees 
in this district affected by the canker is so ex- 
tremely small, but, recognising that this and other 
evils may by neglect assume serious proportions, 
resolves to undertake on all estates in the district 
the regular inspection of their trees with a view to 
prevention of diseases, and to treat the trees in 
the way recommended by the Government Mycologist, 
i.e. the excision of all cankered baik and the burying 
of all dead and dying branches." (Applause.) 
The proceedings ended with a votes of thanks to Mr, 
Carrnthers and to the chair. 
GUTTA (GETAH JELUTONG) PilOM 
SARAWAK, 
A specimen of Getah Jelutong and samples of 
a mineral substance used in its preparation were 
forwarded from Sarawak, through His Majesty's 
Consnl at Brunei, for examination in the Scientific 
and Technical Department of the Imperial Insti- 
tute, and are described in despatches, copies of 
which were transmitted to the Imperial Institute 
by the Foreign Oflioe. 
From the correspondence accompanying the samples 
it appears that the mineral substance used in the 
preparation of the Getah or Gulta is obtained from 
China, and is known to the Malays as"Menang Sayhi,'' 
and to the Chinese as "CliioKoh." This pubstance 
ie not employed in its natural condition, but is 
il baked befofe use, being reduced therebj to a kitid 
I of feathery powder, and its addition is said to be 
I eeeential to the preparation process. The latter is 
! described as follows :— U (the Getah) is taken 
\ \ Irom the Jelntong tree, and is obtained by barking 
I ' tbe tree and then scraping off the gum as it exudes, 
and not by tapping, a procesg which is very des- 
tructive to the trees. The Getah must be prepared 
immediately, and this is done by first eprinkhng a 
pint of ktrosene oil in a tub, then a kerosene tin 
full of water is poured in and the same quantity 
of the gum, to which is added a teaspoonful of the 
'Menang Sayla,' and the whole is then well mixed 
and afterwards kneaded aad rolled into large balls, 
in which form it is exported," The local value of 
the product is about 5 dols. per picul, and in Singa- 
pore it is from 7 to 8 dols. per picul. 
Getfth Jelutong is already well known in the 
European and American markets under the name 
of Pontianac, but its commercial utilisation is chiefly 
confined to the United States, which imports large 
quantities annually. The supply is obtained from 
Borneo and the Malay Peninsula, and is not res- 
tricted to Sarawak as the Consul appears to indicate. 
The specimen of the Getah Jelutong was a large 
cheese-shaped mass, of light brown colour externally, 
but quite wiiite and of granular structure within ; 
it was almost free from dirt or vegetable debris, 
but contained a considerable quantity of water 
which exuded on pressure, and it had a distinct 
odour of kerosene ; it was soft, could be easily worked 
in the fingers, and possessed very little tenacity. 
On exposing a piece to the air for some time, how- 
ever, the outer portion hardened and became quite 
friable. When treated with hot water it formed a 
very soft mass, without becoming sticky, and could 
readily be moulded, but it did not harden on cooling, 
merely returning to its original form. 
On chemical examination the material was found 
to contain : — 
Moisture . . . . 40"8 per cent. 
Ash ... ... .. 0-28 „ 
The dry material was entirely soluble in cold 
ether, but only partially soluble in alcohol. It did 
not contain any of the hydrocarbon " gutta," the 
characteristic constituent of true gutta percha, but 
the following substances were isolated from it: — 
1. A small quantity of a sticky elastic substance 
resembling caoutchouc in appearance and 
properties ; 
2. A large quantity of a white granular substance ; 
3. A very small quantity of a distinctly crysta- 
line substance ; 
the two latter substances being dissolved by hot 
alcohol. 
A comparative examination of a sample of com- 
mercial Pontianac "gave almost identical results. 
In appearance the Getah Jelutong resembles a poor 
quality of gutta percha, but its composition, as in- 
dicated above, would suggest that it may perhaps 
be more closely allied to the inferior varieties of 
rubber. 
Getah Jelutong or Pontianac is usually stated to 
be obtained from Dijera costulata, a large tree which 
is fairly common throughout the Malayan region, 
but it is probable that the material as met with in 
commerce is a mixture of gutta derived from dif- 
ferent sources. It has been stated, in fact, that it 
is the custom of the natives to mix the latex of the 
Jelutong tree with that derived from different spe- 
cies of Willughbeia, which yield inferior rubbers. 
The value of Pontianac in the London market ia 
about £19 to £20 per ton, but as already stated, 
the chief demand for the material is in the United 
States, which in 1901 imported 9,371.087 lb., valued 
at 248,838 dols. Of this total, 8,708,107 lb. are 
returned as coming from the British East Indies, 
probably through Singapore, whilst the remainder, 
662,980 lb. was imported from the United Kingdom. 
After undergoing certain treatment, the Pontianac 
is chiefly employed in the United States as an in- 
gredient in the mixtures used for the manufacture 
of rubber goods of low quality, and its utilisation 
for such purposes appears to be extending. 
The sample of Getah Jelutong from Sarawak was 
almost identical in appearance, composition and pro- 
perties with commercial samples of Pontianac, being 
