REPORT ON THE CAOUTCHOUC OP COMMERCE. 
41 
tlie Caoutchouc, by the outer portions of the coalescing milk 
becoming first acted upon and inclosing water inside it. 
Next to purity, dryness stands as the foremost desiderata in well 
prepared Caoutchouc. The wet processes, particularly that with 
alum, is very easy of application, but the precaution should be taken 
to prepare the Caoutchouc in thin sheets, and subjecting them to 
hydraulic, screw, or other pressure. 
Purity and freedom from false packing, adulteration, and ad- 
mixture of all kinds should be attended to in order to produce a 
good marketable Caoutchouc, frequently one sees a parcel of 
Caoutchouc in which possibly are patches of sand, stone, bark, &c., 
and as a necessary consequence it is valued at a low price. The 
Caoutchouc itself may be very good, and if free from these foreign 
substances, which add weight, would fetch a much higher price. 
Not only has an allowance or deduction to be made for the foreign 
matter, for a manufacturer cares not to pay Is. 6 d. to 2s. for stones 
and sand, (even though they have the recommendation of coming 
from a distance, a great recommendation now-a-days,) but also for 
loss of time, wear and tear of machinery in cleansing it. There is 
beside this the loss of freight value to be thought of. 
This admixture and adulteration arises from careless collection in 
allowin'' bark, &c., to fall in the milk, or fraudulently introducing 
it for the sake of increasing the weight ; the first can be obviated by 
passing the milk through sieves before subjecting the milk to any 
further process, and while it is yet fresh. The second by refusing 
to receive any such adulterated. Caoutchouc, if the power of refusal 
be possessed. The second cause of adulteration is by the admixture 
of the milk (very often resinous) of the trunk, or of other trees 
with the Caoutchouc, and which not only is an adulteration, but 
frequently destroys the goodness of the Caoutchouc altogether, 
causing it to become “heated” and spoiled. This should be guarded 
ao-ainst, and after a little experience such admixture can be detected 
in the milk or prepared Caouteliouc. To guard against careless or 
fraudulent adulteration it is important that the best form m which 
the Caoutchouc can be prepared should be considered, barge 
masses of even good Caoutchouc never will fetch so high a puce as 
small pieces, as in the latter case the chance or facility of adultera- 
tion is reduced to a minimum. The Caoutchouc should be prepared 
in thin separate sheets or cakes not more than one or two inches 
thick, and if moulds are used, wooden ones of the shape of a 
nMlrl’d battledore would be the best form. . 
Sese remarks will apply equally to the case of any introduced 
species. 
33/27 
