569 
The question of smoking rubber is decidedly coming more to the 
front now-a-days. In the very early days of rubber cultivation, smok- 
ing was not uncommon. The first lots of Biscuits sent from the 
Botanic Gardens to manufacturers were regularly smoked, but this 
form was rather darker in colour than unsmoked rubber. Amber bis- 
cuits took the fancy of the home market. They were very attractive 
in appearance and so transparent that the buyers could see that they 
were pure and free from dirt. Then came a reaction, and darker 
colouring was not considered a defect. In fact, lately smoked rubbers 
have fetched the highest price in the market. The smoking hitherto 
however, has only been on the outside of made-up biscuits and sheet, 
its advantage being the more rapid drying and the prevention of 
external mouldiness especially in wet weather. 
However, for a year, experiments in smoking the latex itself 
have been in progress in the Botanic Gardens, and we hope very 
shortly to lay the results of these before our readers. A number of 
blocks of rubber thus prepared have been submitted to some of the 
best manufacturing firms in Europe, and their reports will be published 
when they are completed. We may say, however, that the rubber 
thus produced is very different in firmness and nerve from the 
ordinary plantation rubbers, and more resembles the best hard cure 
rubber of the Amazons. — E d. 
THE ZAPUPE, A HEW FIBRE. 
The Botanic Gardens, Singapore, have lately received a few 
plants of a new fibre plant discovered in 1905 between Vera Cruz and 
Tampico. This plant is one of the Agaves, and is known to the 
natives of Mexico as Zapupe. It seems to have been long known to 
the natives as a source of a very superior fibre, but has only come 
into cultivation within the last few years. At present, 5,000 acres 
near Vera Cruz are under this plant, and larger areas are being 
cleared for its cultivation. It is said that it produces a fine white 
brilliant strong fibre flexible and easy to weave. It is superior to 
other Agaves from this region in its more rapid growth, giving a 
good return in three years against the usual delay of six or seven 
years in other species. There are seven known varieties of it. The 
best one at three years old produces 125 to 150 leaves per year, after 
which the number gradually diminishes till its seventh or eighth year, 
giving an average during the whole time of 100 to 120 leaves a year, 
till it dies in about ten or fifteen years. It prefers a light sandy soil. 
About 1,000 to 1,400 plants are planted to the acre. They are planted 
from lateral buds as in the case of Henequen, or Sisal hemp, 
and produces six or seven buds on the roots each year, and when it 
poles, it produces 1, 000 to 2,500 hulbils, which can be used for 
planting. The leaves are cut at any time during the year and care 
has to be taken to cut them at the level of the stalk, for the plant is 
