1 2 1 
THE DRYING OF RUBBER. 
I cannot say that I altogether like the method Mr. BURGESS pro- 
poses for the drying of rubber. Calcium chloride is at the best a 
very expensive material to use in this connection, and with its use 
comes the danger of accidental contamination with the rubber. Very 
great care would require to be exercised that not a particle of it got 
into contact ’with the rubber, for the evil resulting would be very 
great. Of the two methods he proposes, certainly the circulation of 
dried air is by far the better, but this could be obtained more safely 
and more economically than by the use of calcium chloride. J have 
no intimate knowledge of how careful the native labourers are, but 
from what I have. heard, I would be disposed to think that sooner or 
later accidents would happen and a batch of rubber be spoiled by 
admixture with this chemical. 1 still remain of opinion that the 
system of drying in vacuum is by far the best suited to the needs of 
the planter. As Mr. BURGESS is in a much better position than I 
am to conduct practical experiments on this, I would gladly give him 
any details and help that I can. So far as I can see, no difficulties 
stand in the way, and the drying is brought about so rapidly as to be 
economical, and the machine so arranged as to be practically “ fool- 
proof. I shall be glad if Mr. BuRGESS will communicate with 
me in regard to this and other matters. 
Sir W. THISEL I ON DYER. 
India-Rubber Journal^ Vol. XXIX, p. ipj. 
I do not think that there is much fear, as suggested by Sir WIL- 
LIAM Thiselton Dyer, that the calcium chloride process will in 
any way cause risk of injury to the rubber during the course of 
drying. We have here been using the chemicarin a make-shift 
way in small trays put into drawers with the rubber, and cannot say 
that even handled by Malay boys we have had any serious accidents 
with it. In cases where a little slopped over the rubber it produced 
a patch of stickiness. If the calcium chloride is cleaned off imme- 
diately it does no harm. If left on, hpwever, it destroys the rubber 
by making a sticky soft patch. Bi3t, in a manufactory on a large 
scale, where the calcium chloride would be in pans, well away a’nd 
above the rubber, there need be no risk. The whole apparatus 
could easily be made fool-proof, and there would be no more risk 
than from fire or any other catastrophe. The .expense is not great 
as the calcium chloride is quite cheap and practically lasts for ever 
except for a little accidentally wasted by overset or something of 
that sort. 53 
However, as long as smoked rubber fetches the same price as 
white biscuits unsmoked, smoking is «ertainly simpler and about a: 
quick a method of preparation. 
But, it will be strange, indeed, if the engineers cannot invent £ 
poSle aP tfme atUS Wlth unheated air to dr y the rabber in the quickest 
6 !(« 
Editor . 
