43 
■ \ ■ , • HI 
disappointing and its introduction being contemporary 
with the introduction of Hevea hraziliensis very little pro- 
gress had been made. From several different countries 
from the East, Africa, and West Indies, reports agree in 
respect of luxuriant growth, but a scanty yield of latex. 
This may be due to excessive humidity or to variety — as 
there are some favourable reports from Southern India — - 
and as there are varieties of Manihot, it may be that most 
of the Eastern species is of a poor strain, or as said before, 
the climate is too damp. Future trials in Malaya would 
stand the best chance of success if planted at Port Dickson, 
or the Northern part of Province Wellesley. 
It should not be forgotten that this rubber, when well 
prepared obtains the highest price. It grows best in dry 
tropical countries on the poorest soils and if it can be 
successfully cultivated it would have to be reckoned with as 
a rubber of the finest grade.* 
Formerly Ceara rubber appeared on the market in the 
form of “ scrap,’ 5 being coagulated on the trees by natural 
heat in tears or strips and subsequently collected and rolled 
into balls. In this scrappy and impure condition its value 
naturally depreciated hut the rubber now prepared in 
India, Ceylon, and German East-Africa, is valued about 
the same as the best plantation Para. The Imperial In- 
stitute published the analyses of some samples recently 
examined. I quote the highest and lowest : — 
Ceara Rubber 
highest 
' lowest. 
Caoutchouc per cent 
85.6 
82.8 
Resin 
6.3 
5.5 
Proteids 
6.2 
9.4 
Ash 
1.9 
2.3 
Other species— perhaps more valuable are:— 
Manieoba rubber (Maniliot dichotoma) and M. Piau- 
hyensis. 
* It will be remembered that, at the Ceylon rubber exhibition the novelty 
ot ranadron block rather than intrinsic quality obtained for it the <mld medal 
over a sample of Ceara rubber. 
