1 3 ° 
nection with extensive plantations of the trees, and even then it 
nuiv be doubted whether it would be advantageous to pluck leaves 
from cultivated trees for the purpose of extracting the gutta- 
percha from them. This point, however, must be left for the con- 
sideration of the local authorities. 
In view of the great superiority of Gutta laban Merab over the 
other varieties of gutta-percha it would be desirable in any further 
experiments upon this subject to use the leaves ot that tree, as 
they would in all probability furnish the best results. 
REPORT ON RUBBER FROM THE 
STRAITS SETTLEMENTS. 
•\ sample of Para Rubber, No. 7. was forward ed with tin: pre- 
cedin'^ specimens of gutta-percha for mechanical examination and 
valuation. H had been prepared from a tree growing m the 
Botanic Gardens, Penang, and consisted of three rectangular cakes 
5 inches by 6 inches, and about one-eighth of an inch in thickness. 
The rubber had a dark brown colour, was translucent and con- 
tained no visible impurities. One piece was slightly sticky but 
otherwise the sample exhibited very good physical properties. 
On analysis it furnished the following results 
Moisture ... 015 per cent 
Caoutchouc ... ...95*0 
Resin ••• 4‘3 » 
Ash ... °*5 
The rubber was therefore of very good quality, and it compared 
very favourably with hard Para from South America though the 
amount of resin was rather higher than is usually met with m the 
pest qualities of the latter. 
* The brokers to whom it was submitted for commercial valuation 
reported that consignments of similar quality would realise the 
current market value of good Para Rubber. 
WYNDHAM. R. DUNSTAN. 
gtk February , 1904. 
Analysis of Castilloa and Funtumia Rubber. 
Samples of Castilloa and Funtumia rubber were sent from Triii ii- 
dad bv Mr. Hart, the Superintendent of the botanic Gardens, to 
the Imperial Institute where they were examined and analysed by 
Professor WYNDHAM R. DUNS I AN. "f the Castilloa, rubber was 
taken from trees of four years old and also from old trees lor 
comparison. The difference was very striking I hat from the 
you no- trees showed very little resemblance to true rubber and 
possessed no elasticity and very "little tenacity. It contained 64.1 
of resin and only 33 - 6 Caoutchouc. 
