The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-06-05
kUBBER INDUSTRY.
South America Supplies the Raw Ma
Where Gutta Percha Comes
from, and the Process of Making Ii.

South AhciiCu SuppltCs tne nav ,ud- T.
terial--Where Gutta Percha Comes
from, and the Process of Making 1t.
From Popular Science Monthly.
This remarkable substance is obtain
ed from the milky juice Of certain
trees and different varieties of climb
ers. South America is the principal
source of supply-Brazil of the many
states producing it, leading in guam
tity and quality, and having in its
great forests sufficient to meet twice
the wants of the world. The best is
Para, Zine, medium and sernamby),
from the great basin of the Amazon,
where more than 900 seringueiros
(gatherers) are engaged in the dry sea-
son collecting gum. White Para, 'vir-
gin Sheets" a new variety ia three
grades, comes from Matto Crosse.
Since its Importance first began to be
felt, this gum has eXerted an increas-
ing influence upon the spread of civ
ilization, especially among the ANA
zon and Orinoco and their tributaries
and the great streams which pour out
from the interior of the Dark Conti-
nent. Para, formerly an insignificant
village, has grown to be a city of q
hundred thousand inhabitants, with
modern features, and Manos, up the
river, is fast following it. India rub
ber is the mainstay of the northern
Brazilian states, Bolivia, and eastern
Peru. Brazil has a great advantage
in its imdnense waterway, Ocean-g going
steamers running 1900 miles up the
Amazon, whereas every African river
except the Congo has bar at it's
mouth and cataracts not far distant
from the coast line. 1t is, besides
ivory, about the only commodity pro-
duced in the interior Of a tropical coun-
try that will bear the expense of trans
portation, often on the heads Of ma
tives along tangled man paths to the
scaboard. So in many places it has
been the basis of first commerce.
Gutta Percha, like India rubber, is
obtained from the juices of certain
trees and climbers. The best is pro-
Guced by tree, the Isonandra gutta,
Of the order Sapotaceoe, which for
rierly abounded at Singapore and in
all the Malaysia, but which now tends
to disappear under the raVages COM
mitted by gathmerers. Gutta in Malay
signifies gum or lime; percha signifies
secap. Incisions are made in the bark,
as on rubber trees, and the liquor flows
of perfect whiteness, darkening at con-
tact of air. Coagulation takes place
spontaneously in a short time. Like
rubber, the liquid forms a film on top.
This cream is removed, kneaded into
large lump, and pumped into boiling
water. Under the action of high
temperature it softens and forms the
cake usually found in commerce. 9th
er trees in Malaysia and Farther In
ola, in Cambodia and Cochin China,
produce good gutta. In Hindustan diff
ferent grades are mixed by the ma
tives. Chinese merchants in their de-
pots, mix and manipulate to give a
good superficial appearance to the pro-
duct, as the price is constantly advance
ing, AS the gatherers also do not scru-
pie to add vegetable debris, earth or
sand, it has become difficult to procure
pure article. An inferior quality is
obtained from trees and climbers in
Africa and Madagascar, and with the
development of those countries, more
may be expected. .a.. -. ..... ,...r.-