The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-11-21
RUBBER INDUSTRY.

More than a hundred million dollars
worth of india rubber has been import
ed into the United States during the
past four years, and more imam sixty
million dollars worth in the last two
years. A decade ago the annual lmpor-
tations of India rubber amounted TO
about $1,000, 0OO; now they exceed $751;
600 900. and are steadily increasing.
Practically all of the importations OF
rubber come in crude form for use or
who are constantly ex-
tenaIng it's application to various new
lines of industry. Northern Brazi,
Southern Mexico, the West Indies, Cen
trial Africa, India, the Straits Settle
ments and the Dutch East Indies sup
ply this Increasingly important feature
OF our importalons. PROBABLY no Single
article has MADE more RAPID growth
in It's relations to manufactures and
commerce in the past few
years than rubber. AS a consequence
attention is now being given to the cui-
ovation and systematic production OF
the various pants and trees from when
il can be produced
The above statement is suggested by
the receipt by the Treasury bureau of
statistics of a publication detailing the
cultivation of india rubber trees and
pants in the British colonies, especially
those of Central and South Africa This,
coupled with the we'll known fact that
our own Department of Agriculture
has already begun experiments and in
Iuiries in this line in the Island Terri
tories OF the United States, adds greatly
to the interest in this question and to
the possibility that the $50, 000, 900 a year
which we are now sending out of the
country for this product may be ex-
pended under the American flag and
American producers. The fact
that Southern Mexico and Central Am
erica are natural producers of india
rubber in considerable and increasing
quantities, and that large quantities are
produced in, and exported from, the
islands and mainland Immediately ad-
jacent TO the Philippines, suggests
great possibilities in this line in Cuba
Porto RicoN and in the Hawaiian and
Philippine Islands.
India rubber is not, as is generally
supposed, the product of single tree,
but on the contrary is produced from
a. variety of trees and plants. Some
of these flourish only in a moist soil and
while others thrive on
stony soil, provided they receive ample
though intermittent rainfall; though in
all cases a tropical or subtropicai eli
mate is requisite. Most of the india
rubber of South and Central America
is from trees. but in the islands of the
indian archipelago. the supply of rub
Der is chiefly from gigantic creeper
which in five years growth attains a
length of 200 feet. and from 20 to sc
inches in circumference, and which
yields annually from 30 to 60 pounds OF
caoutchouc. Java, Sumatra, Penang
Singapore and French Indo China are
already large producers of crude india
rubber or caoutchouc, and it's produc-
tton in the West Indies has been suffi.
Gent to indicate the entire practica-
bility of its being made an important
industry in Cuba and Porto Rico, a.
well as in the Hawaiian. Philippine ant
Samoan Islands.
The following table shows the valu,
II the importations of crude india rub
Der and gutta percha into the United
states in each fiscal year from 1890 t
1900: