{ 222 ) 
that they are at present preparing the rubber in Cevlon and the 
Straits Settlements in the best manner.” 
The Avon India-Rubber Co., Melksham, Wilts., say that * 
\ u were possible to absolutely rely on efficient washing and 
drying on all ^ plantations, it would undoubtedly be a great 
advantage. We fear, however, this would be impossible, and we, 
therefore, consider that it would be preferable for manufacturers 
to do this work themselves.” 
(( This is an interesting series of letters, and the Editor of the 
India-rubber Journal ” promises a further instalment of those 
he has received from other manufacturers. Several ideas are 
suggested on reading them which may be worth recording. One 
is that of the relations of line Para rubber to that of Plantation 
rubber. No one, I suppose, thinks that any actual difference in 
the lubber itself has been produced as yet, at all events, between 
that of trees growing on the banks of the Amazons, and that of 
Selangor. If there is any difference it would doubtless be in 
favour of the older trees in Para. The difference is solely in the 
method of preparation. The clumsy aboriginal method in use in 
the Amazons, requiring a great deal of skilful hand work, must 
produce at times unsatisfactory lumps. But in the plantation 
methods, which are easier and more mechanical, and are 
superintended by a European manager possessing a knowledge 
of what is required, rubber on all estates under European 
management can be made perfectly homogeneous. It is just 
the same difference as there was between the sugar prepared by 
natives of India with a-wooden mill, and the sugar as manufactured 
by a well-equipped modern manufactory. There would be no 
more difficulty in the planter’s turning out tons of rubber 
completely homogeneous all through, ‘in, say, the form of crepe. 
No good planter would allow any latex accidentally damaged 
to go into the machine with the good stuff. The accidental 
contamination of the rubber on the way home, referred 
to by Mr. Macintosh,' would be less easy to obviate, but 
it would be noticed that this contamination would be entirely 
external, and could be removed without breaking the f ubber up 
again. 
As rubber is so easy to grow and manufacture here, we may 
expect that .natives, especially Chinese, may go into the business, 
and, in the usual native method, eventually put very second-rate 
stuff on the market. With their skill and perseverance in 
discovering the best methods of adulteration, biscuits resembling 
those of European plantations, but adulterated, might be made. 
But the small grower who would try to supplement his product 
by adulterating it, could not afford a crepe machine. He 
could imitate biscuits, but not washed and cleaned crepe. In 
this way, rubber as crepe, would be more or less guaranteed 
as pure. 
