133 
London. This defect, say Messrs. LEWIS and Peat, arises from 
want of care in curing — whether from want of factory space, or 
from hurrying — and that imperfectly cured lots deteriorate on the 
voyage home and fermentation goes on, 'resulting in the resin exud- 
ing and spoiling both biscuits and sheets. “ That this can be avoided 
is proved by the high standard maintained by such marks as Cullo- 
den, Heatherley, etc., from Ceylon; Bukit Rajah, Selangor, Pataling, 
Jebong, etc., from the Straits and F. M. S. ” * 
Blocks the Best. 
“Of course, the Lanadron block leaves nothing to be desired; but 
everyone is not as yet in a position to bjock their rubber, and as a 
difference in price varying from 3 d. Co 6 d. per lb. has often of late 
been made between fine biscuits, sheets, etc., and the dark discoloured 
and inferior lots, we venture to suggest that, as manufacturers have 
more or less got over their prejudice against crepe rubber, planters 
should send it home in this form, and, we think, they will greatly 
decrease the evil referred to. In other words, it is much better to 
send home good crepe than bad biscuits or sheets. Good scrap 
crepe is also realizing excellent prices and chip crepe up to and 
over 4^. ” 
Important Forecast. 
Continuing, Messrs. Lewis and Peat say: — Recently, with 
larger supplies, buyers have been discriminating much more, and we 
find 55. 6 d. @ 5^. Hd. being paid for fine pale biscuits and sheet 
against $s. 2d. @ 5>y. 4 d. for inferior dark and mixed lots, while fine 
pale crepe has brought 5.?. 8 d. % $s. 10 \d. and fine pale Ceara 
biscuits up to 5 s. 7 \d. Scrap have been very irregular but much 
dearer than it was formerly, although we do npt understand buyers 
paying the prices they have for this kind, whether the quality was 
good, bad, or indifferent. We do not think this will continue, but a 
difference of 6 d. @ is. per lb. will be established later on between 
common and good. 
Demand Still Enormous. 
Finally, this eminent firm draw attention to the fact that, as 
was inevitable with the increase of supplies of plantation, the price 
has come nearer the price of fine Amazon smoke-cured Para which 
continues firm at 5 s. 2 d. per lb., although very fine pale lots of 
plantation, which have sold for colour, still realize 6 d. @ 8 d. per lb. 
above the price of fine Para. “ The Amazon crop promises to show 
an increase this season, but, in spite of this, the demand is so 
enormous that there is no decline in price, and the heavy supplies 
are absorbed as soon as received. 
The Market in 1906. 
From a diagram issued with the India Rubber Journal it appears 
that the highest point reached by plantation rubber in 1906, was 
6 s. i\d. at the end of March and the early part of April, since 
which time the fall has been steady and almost uninterrupted until 
