47 * 
bong may be approximately 2/6. The rubber when vulcanised is 
slightly softer and considerably weaker and does not stand the 
heat test so well. We cannot well suggest any way of preparing 
this rubber as this is a question which does not come under our 
notice in manufacturing. The only thing that we can say is that 
in the collection of this rubber great care should be taken to pre- 
vent any extraneous matter from incorporating itself in the mass 
during drying and alt chemical assistance to the drying of the milk 
should be avoided. 
CRUDE RUBBER 
To THE EDITOR OF THE “ INDIA-RUBBER AND 
Gutta-Percha Journal. 
Dear Sir, — There is a great deal of activity going on here in 
rubber planting, and the Peninsula must before long be an im- 
portant rubber producing country. The soil and climate seem to 
be particularly suitable for the cultivation of Para (Heyea Brazi- 
liensis) and Ficus (Ficus elastica), and should the results equal the 
experiments which have been carried out from time to time this 
country will afford a very profitable field for investment in this 
direction. Straits rubber has, T believe, a had name, this is because 
it is more or less a heterogeneous collection of indigenous rubbers 
and saps collected by the natives, and, of course, we planters do 
not wish to associate our cultivated product with this variety. 
Although my own estate is not yet in the productive stage, yet I 
can extract sufficient latex to make small experiments, and 1 read 
with very great interest your remarks on crude rubber. From these 
articles I learn that a great deal of waste occurs in the washing pro- 
cess in consequence of adulterants. Well, Sir, I am only anxious 
to turn out as pure a rubber as possible, and I am prepared to do 
anything in reason to accomplish this, but being a planter I know 
nothing about the manufacturing side. Since there is a process of 
cleaning rubber, would it not be possible to accomplish this on the 
estate, and so avoid paying freights on useless material, or, better 
still, so prepare the milk as to avoid this washing process? With , 
scrap it is quite impossible to collect the latex in a pure state; an 
admixture of rubber bark and soil always results. 
If you would, through the medium of your valuable paper, advise 
the planter what to do, you would be conferring a great benefit 
upon the community. I know there is a great deal of diversity in 
the opinions as to the best means of coagulating the latex, one is 
recommended alum, spirits, centrifugalization, smoke, and various * 
other methods, one of which is to allow coagulation to take place 
naturally. I was privileged last December in the company with 
Mr. FOX, the assistant director, Singapore Botanical Gardens, to' 
take part in an experimental tapping of some Ficus trees (5! years 
old) belonging to Mr. Tan Chay Yan, of Malacca. From 3* im- 
perial pints of latex were obtained 2 lbs. 10 ozs. of dry rubber, which 
iim 
