376 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Noy., 1897, 
(India-rubber World, 10th March.) 
Nothing seems more certain than that the great industry will be partly 
paralysed through exhaustion of present sources of supply, and that the 
fortunate owners of rubber plantations, be they few or many, will reap 
huge fortunes. It is this certainty, proved by rubber statistics, which is at 
the bottom of the great efforts now being made to obtain plantations in 
Mexico and elsewhere, but chiefly in the former country. Mexico is the home 
of Castilloa elastica, acknowledged to be the best of the rubber-bearing trees 
from the planter’s point of view. Hevea braziliensis gives the most valuable 
rubber—Para—now worth 3s. 7d. per lb., while that from Castilloa realises 
only 2s. 4d. per Ib., but the difference in value is greatly owing to the better 
methods of preparation which obtain in Brazil. When the Casfilloa milk hag 
been taken in hand by a skilful British chemist, as it shortly will be, we shall 
without doubt, see a marked improvement, and the price will be levelled up 16 
within measurable distance of that of ‘‘Para, fine.”’ 
The prospects of the rubber planters in Mexico, even at present values, 
are more rosy than those of any other agricultural industry, and this applies more 
or less to every country in which Oastilloa elastica will thrive. A profit of 800 
per cent. in the eighth year is what experts are promising, and the figures are 
based in one instance on a selling price of 1s. per Ib. and in another of 23,; 
the first being less than half the price of Castilloa rubber in London to-day, 
and the second 4d. below it. ‘That rubber can be grown cheaper than it can 
be purchased from the native collectors, is an absolute fact ; and it is obvious 
that the quality must be far superior to any wild product, except, perhaps 
Para, the method of preparing which does not seem capable of improvement, 
For joint-stock enterprises the cultivation of rubber-trees in Mexico offers a 
fine field, as there is no substitute for rubber worthy of the name, and small 
_ probability of there ever being one. At presentadulteration is rife, greatly to 
the detriment of the trade. “We hear of powdered flint and cement being used 
to eke out the supply, and the demand for old worn-out rubber goods is very 
great. The only apparent remedy for this disastrous state of things is cultivation 
on an enormous scale. 
(Lhe Oolonies and India, 20th March.) 
The whole tropical world seems to be in a ferment regarding rubber 
production, and a portion of the excitement has reached Queensland. It were 
well to calmly consider our position in this connection. It is fairly certain 
that conditions favourable to the growth of any of the first-class caoutchoue 
yielding trees do not obtain in our country, however distasteful this fact may 
be to any of us. As has already been noted, only a very tiny point of Cape 
York comes within the rubber-producing zone. ‘The editor of Colonies and 
India is speaking to persons residing within that zone, and speaks hopefully, 
not to say somewhat extravagantly, of the prospects for persons who are, or would 
be, rubber planters. In India, not only have the residents of the belt within 
the 10th degree of latitude, north and south of the equator, the necessary 
re and other climatic influences, but, as a rule, have the necessary 
uralso. The article is certainly not particularly bulky; the collection 
of the juice does not require scientific ability. The other absolutely necessary 
conditions being present, it seems a subject warranted to command the atten- 
tion of those who reside in countries favoured by excessive heat, moisture, 
and with a native population of a class who are satisfied with and want but 
little. 
Notwithstanding the foregoing, 
temperatu 
cheap labo 
Manihot Glaziovii and Ficus elastica may 
well be recommended to those who can utilise the latter for coffee breakwinds, 
and the former on waste sheltered lands. Ficus elastica might be planted on 
some off the most fertile islands of the coast, and a grove of Manihot Glaziovit 
at one of the State farms or nurseries. The experiments, if successful, would 
be of infinite future value to one and all. 
