Dec. 2, 1901.] THE TROPIOAL AaEICULTURIST. 
RUBBER IN RHODESIA. 
In a report received from North-West Rhodesia 
Major Colin Harding, tbe Acting Administrator, 
says : — 
The indigenous TubLer fonnd in North-West 
Rhodesia is of thiee distinct species, which should 
be classed as: (i) Ijandolphia-li''lorida, (2) Kiclixia- 
Elastica, (3) Capodinus-L;'.noeolatus. I wiil fitst 
take the ljj,udolphi<A-Flori.-a, which ia a species of 
vine rubber in this country, growing to a consider- 
able length, varying from 20 yards to 60 yards, and 
in size from | in. to li in. in Qiameter. Ic is found 
growing usually in marshy tropical localities. 
This rubber first came under my notice on a 
small tributary of the Zambesi, north-west of Nyaka- 
toro, during my journey to tlie source of the latter 
river last year. Again I saw and collected portions of 
this vine in the same latitude, also found in a very 
marshy aod verdant spot, on an east bank tributary 
of the Kabompo River, called the Mumbasi. This 
vine at the latter place was seen to perfection, ex- 
tending round the adjacent trees, forming an im- 
penetrable thicket, and affording, besides a lucrative 
employment for the native, a shelter and protection 
to the kraal which was built beneath its shade. I 
am forwarding samples of this vine for your identi- 
fication. Judging from the quantities of prepared 
rubber which I have found in the possession of 
dilierent natives during my journey, I am convinced 
that considerable quantities of this valuable species 
are found surrounding the majority of the numerous 
tributaries which flow into the Kabompo and Zam- 
besi Rivers, or, to put it more concise and plainly, 
the Landolphia-Flonda is found between the twelfth 
and fourteenth parallels, throughout the whole of 
Barotseland. 
The mode of collecting and preparing the Landol- 
phia-Floiida is similar to that adopc ed by the natives 
when making the ground rubber into a marketable 
commodity. Without thought for to-morrow, they 
promiscuously hack and cut the vine, selecting, 
when their work of destruction is complete, ttie 
btst and largest branches only, leaving the smaller, 
which in another year vfould have attained maturity, 
to rot oa the ground. Divided into various lengths 
of from 3ft. to 4ft., the vine is taken to the kraal where, 
; after forty-eight hours' continual soaking, it i^ liam- 
j mered and pounded with the idea of removing the 
I bark, which secretes the rubber from the stem ; 
this process complete, the rubber — or blanket, as it 
is termed — is again immersed and continually boiled 
for three or four days, or, in fact, till the bits of 
bark are completely removed. In examining a piece 
of vine rubber before boiling, you would find no 
aluminoid or resinous matter. The rubber seems a 
part and parcel of the bark, and, unlike Kickxia-Elas- 
} tioa, the juice could never be extracted by incision 
j or tapping. The boiling operation being complete, 
the rubber whilst warm is rolled into sticks about 
i 6 in. long, called matallas. It is then hung under 
j the various roofs to dry, and later made up into 
i chetotes, ready for Mombari traders, who periodically 
! visit the kraals to purchase and transport this 
I valuable product to the West Coast. Whilst on my 
tour 1 purchased several chetotes of rubber, for 
1 which 1 paid two yards of calico, each valued at 
j Is. 8d. per yard, on the spot. The weight of a 
good chetote should be about 2 lb., and the prioe 
i| of this class of rubber at Beuguela would run from 
;l 1,800 to 2,000 reis, or in English money from 23. 9d, 
I to 3s. 6d. per lb, 
I (2.) Kickxia-Elastica.— My knowledge of this rub- 
i ber, which I have set down as Kickxia-Elastica, is 
I very limited. Undoubtedly it is a true rubber found 
in the same districts and in close proximity to the 
Landolphia-Florida described above. Several samples 
were shown to me when east of the Ivabompo ; also 
I inspected the same species of rubber in the possession 
of natives north-west of the Zambesi, near the Kasi 
J^ver. It is of a guperior ijuality to either th^ 
other two kinds, and as it is procured by an incision 
made in the trees, it is absolutely free from all 
dirt and bark, the only damaging ingredient being 
grease, which is infused by the natives whilst collect- 
ing and rolling it into various shapes. In selling 
the inferior species of rubber the natives will mix 
the Kickxia-Elastica with other unsaleable root 
rubber. I saw a rubber much resembling the Kickxia- 
Elastica at Kota-Koia, some two years ago, the only 
appreciable defference being, as far as I could see, 
the different shapes in which it was rolled. 
(3.) Capodinus-Lanceolatus.— Accepting Sir Willam 
Dyer's authority, the third and last species of indigen- 
ous rubber which [ am about to describe must be 
the Capodinus-Lanceolatus. Its description as being 
worthless is, I think, unwarranted. On the contrary, I 
have seen Capodinus growing, prepared, and finally 
sold at good and remunerative prices, although ad- 
mittedly it is of inferior quality, still it is a rubber 
that thrives in the soil where no other root could 
exist, and will, with an ordinary amount of care 
in collecting it, eventually prove a valuable asset 
to Western Barotseland. To substantiate my state- 
ment, I might point out that already, both east and 
west of the Kwito River, the Portuguese have 
erected stations and conducted trading expeditions 
for the object of collecting this rubber, and apparently 
for that object alone. Again, at Katende, a large 
village situated some sixty miles north-west of 
Nyakatoro, and well within the boundaries of King 
Lewanika's kingdom, during the last two years no 
less than ten waggons have peneirated to the heart 
of that country for the object of collecting and 
transporting this rubber to the west, and I am led 
to believe that these expeditions met with an 
ordinary amount of success. The Capodinus-Lanceo- 
latus is found in considerable qunntities between the 
Kwando and Kwito Rivers, and also west of the 
latter. At the head waters of the Lungwe-Bungo 
and in the Balachazie country its growth is also 
noticeable ; in fact, the whole Barotse country west 
of the East Luoga River, above parallel 15, is dotted 
with portions full of this indigenous root. The pro- 
cess of manufacturing and preparing this root 
I have described under the iheading of Landol- 
phia Florida. Strange to say, the root of the Capo- 
dinus-Lanceolatus and a portion of the Landol- 
phia vine are, when gathered, so alike that only 
the most competent judge could correctly define 
the species. This Capodinus is phanelogamous, 
growing from 6in. to lOiu. in height. The roots 
are found about 4in. under the surface of the soil, 
and, spreading themselves evenly and uniformly, 
cover a considerable' quantity of ground. At present 
this plant is so plentiful that in rubber districts the 
natives collect only the larger roots, leaving the 
smaller exposed and perishing under a tropical sun. 
The surface, after the natives have collected their 
rubber, resembles an orchard or meadow which has 
been upturned by a grub-seeking hog. For two or 
three years the production of rubber from such a 
spot is nil, and treated on similar lines to his garden 
the native never returns for a second crop, but 
seeks pastures new, where the same work of des- 
truction is carried on in the same reckless and 
extravagant manner. It is useless disguising the 
fact that, with one or two exceptions, the most prolifio 
and thriving rubber districts are found outside of 
the present provisional boundary, and until the ques- 
tion of deuarcati-.n is satisfactorily settled, the idea 
of preserving or encouraging the production of rubber 
in this country to any great extent is out of the 
question. In the meantime, whilst we are arbitrating 
and settling the boundaries, the Portuguese are ex- 
tending their power to within HiQ miles west of 
Lialui, destroying districts which beyond all doubt 
must eventually come under the control of the 
Chartered Company. 
The fact that North-West Rhodesia is a rubber- 
produciog country has been proved beyond doubt, 
piltiiough tbe full §steij^ yet ^inknown, Ba^ 
