64 BULLETIN 1422, IT. S. DEPARTMENT OE AGRICULTURE 
The nature of its bark will not allow the same sort of tapping that is 
practicable with Hevea, but it is quite within the bounds of possi- 
bility that a place might be found for this tree in cultivation. 
GUTTA-PERCHA 
Gutta-percha is a substance which is in great demand for a variety 
of uses and for which as yet no satisfactory substitute has been found. 
The supply at present comes mainly from the Malay Peninsula and 
from the Dutch East Indies. In Java the Dutch Government has 
a successful gutta-percha plantation at Tjipetir, but elsewhere the 
supply is derived from trees in the jungle. Formerly the trees were 
felled and the bark tapped, but recently this method has been largely 
abandoned, and the leaves are collected and ground in mills to sepa- 
rate the gutta. Only leaves and young twigs are used at Tjipetir, 
where tapping of the trees was found unprofitable. 
It seems possible that a supply of this valuable substance could be 
produced within the territory of the United States. Several gutta- 
percha producing trees are native to the Philippine Islands, and 
doubtless the tree now grown in Java could be successfully grown in 
the southern islands. It might become a valuable native crop there. 
It is better fitted for such culture than rubber, which requires more 
constant attention. The preparation of good rubber requires con- 
siderable skill, more than most natives are willing to develop. On 
the other hand, the gutta-percha leaves could be picked from time to 
time and sent to a central mill adequately supervised by experts, 
which could take care of the product of a considerable area. 
Furthermore, as the price of gutta-percha is much higher than that 
of rubber, this should be an incentive to the development of the 
industry. Certainly, there is sufficient promise of success in the 
planting of this product to warrant a consideration of the problems 
connected with it. 
In South America there are several gutta-percha producing trees 
worthy of study. One of these is a species of Chrysophyllum, which 
yields a product appearing to be of good quality. Another species, 
Aburana Colorado, produces a gutta reported by authorities as the 
equal of the Java product. This tree is widely distributed in western 
Brazil, northern Bolivia, and eastern Peru. The writer found it in 
Bolivia in the neighborhood of Sena and also at Porvenir. In these 
regions many trees have been tapped by slashing them with a machete. 
Nothing could be learned as to the yield of these trees. 
Around Maldonado, in eastern Peru, there are said to be great 
numbers of Aburana trees, and they are reported to be numerous for 
a long distance to the west of that place.- Apparently, there exists 
here a large supply of gutta-percha which has been exploited to only 
a very small extent. The problem of extracting this substance is 
worthy of further study. 
So far no experiments have been made to determine the quantity 
and quality 01 the gutta in the leaves or to develop methods of 
extracting it. Naturally, no planting trials have been made of the 
tree, but experimental plantings should be made, and the tree should 
be introduced into other regions for trial. The tree was not in fruit 
at the time of the writer's visit to the region, and material could not 
be procured for introduction at that time. Further attempts should 
be made to bring this tree into cultivation. 
