8l 
PLANTATION-GROWN RUBBER. 
(Issued by Lewis and Peat, 6 , Mincing Lane, London, E.C., on January, 
l6th 19 1 1.) 
LEWIS & PEAT have had so many questions and inquiries regard- 
ing the preparation of Plantation Rubber and as to the most 
approved form, that they have gathered as much information as 
possible from various sources and put together the followink, 
hoping it may be useful to Planters and help to promote the 
best interests the Industry generally, and they will be pleased 
to value samples for Planters or answer questions with regard 
to Plantation Rubber when desired. 
DETAILS FOR PLANTERS— REVISED JANUARY, 1911 . 
Shape and Form. 
A great improvement in the preparation all round has been 
evident during the past year and the prices obtained at the fortnightly 
auctions, have undoubtedly proved that the two most popular forms 
of preparation are : — 
“ Smoked Sheets ” and “ Blanket Crepe ” 
(Sheets should be ribbed, thereby allowing a free passage of air 
on the voyage). 
Highlands and Lowlands may be taken as the best example of 
Smoked Sheets and Rosehaugh of Blanket Crepe but many other 
marks run these two very close. 
The lower grades in Crepe form, especially the thick and gristly 
lots, have commanded a ready sale and at times the demand for both 
brown and black has been extraordinary, Buyers greatly appreciating 
the improved preparation. The Scrap Crepe should be thoroughly 
freed from bark and any pieces shewing signs of heat kept separate. 
Methods of Preparation, Coagulation, &c. 
There seems to be some uncertainty still as to the best method of 
preparing Plantation Rubber for the market, but the aim of the pro- 
ducer of course is to put on the market the purest possible article in 
the most convenient form and prepared at the lowest possible cost to 
the estate. The coagulating agent in more or less general use in 
Acetic Acid, and though other coagulants have been put on the mar- 
ket, Acetic seems the best. The aim is to produce rubber containing 
the smallest quantity of foreign matter and coagulants of all 
descriptions should be used with the utmost care, and the smallest 
quantity sufficient to bring about a satisfactory coagulation used. 
Excessive use of Acid in coagulation generally results in a weak and 
very often unsightly sample. 
The question as to whether an estate should manufacture Crepe 
or Sheet rubber greatly depends upon the facilities at hand. 
