The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-08-27

gutta percha insulation. This pessimsm
on the part of the gutta percha produc-
ers smacks somewhat of an effort to stiff
fen the market yet there is a sufficiently
reasonable foundation for it in the wan
ton destruction of the gutta forests
so close Is the resemblance between
gutta percha and india rubber that many
persons confound one with the other. Both
are obtained in the form OF a milky Juice
from tropical trees, but they come from
wholly different kinds of trees. Those
which yield the gutta percha are known
to botanists as the sapota muleri and
the isonandra gutta, whereas rubber Is
obtained from certain species of the apoc-
yanaceae. urticaceae and euphorblaceae.
Caoutchouc, or crude rubber, Is so elastic
at ordinary temperatures that a piece
of II VIII stretch to several times its origl-
nal length, while gutta percha Is more
like ivory when cool. 1t has elasticity,
certainly, but 1t Is the elasticity of
billiard ball. you might say, not that of
the lively 'return-ball string.
Rubber Is applied to an infinite va
riety OF uses in the arts. but gutta percha
seldom is used for anything except as an
insulating cover for submarine telegraph
cables, although II once was worked up
into buttons and many other small nodded
articles of common use, being extremely
plastic when warm. There is a decided
difference In the chemical constitution OF
Guile of the former contains 3 atoms OF
carbon and IA Of hyde gen, while a MOLE
cule Of the latter contains 10 atoms of car
bon and 16 of hydrogen.
1T Is only recently that the world sup
ply of gutta percha has shown deteriora-
ton In quality as well as dlminution in
quantity First-class gum Is now almost
impossible to obtain a state of affairs
sulting from the recklessness of the pro-
ducers In the East Indies. The juice OF
the caoutchouc tree Is obtained by merely
tapping the tree, but lt was customary
for many years 10 cut the gutta percha
tree entirely down to get al its milky pro-
duct although the destruction was I'M
necessary, perhaps. Such a practice, OF
course, could be carried on only for a
short time without threatening the sup
ply, and in time it killed the goose which
laid the golden eggs.
Two other HYDROCARBONS besides the
one which gives its name to the tree are
contained in the juice of the gutta percha,
but the proportion of these elements in the
fluid varies greatly. Besides, in the work
Of collecting the gum more or less ex-
traneous matter Is sure to get in. Such
inferior stuff Will not answer for insulating
cables and, as / said, the uses of gutta
percha are restricted so now that there
Is little sale for poor gum. Thus the price
of crude gutta percha, when there IL no
probability of new cable being con-
Structed, mas IalIen from ABOUT @fO a picul
O33 pounds to less than $50 in the last
few years. Rubber. however has re-
manned steady.
Some efforts have been made IN tho
East Indies to cultivate trees which will
produce high grade of gum, but such
experiments are so slow in yielding any
return that the venture is not encourage
Ing. So long a wait Is necessary before
the painter begins to make any money that
Il scarcely appears practicable to attain
the desired result by private means or
enterprise. II the worlds supply Of gutta
is 10 continue then governmental subsidies
will be necessary.
To-day England. which has the most
noted and extensive cable mandatory in
the world, is the principal consumer or
gutta percha. In the last few years her
annual mportations have ranged from $50
90 700 tons, and last year nearly 900 tons
were used. This - more perhaps, than
Is used ny al the rest Of the civilized
word
ESTIMATING roughly, the worlds pro-
ducdon OF rubber Is about 100000 pounds
year. notwithstanding this seemingly
large quantity there is not enough 10 sat
iffy the constantly growing demands Of
the manufacturers, and as a result the
| prices steadily are climbing.