The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-08-07
RUBBER IN PORTO RICO
It's Cultivation May Be Carried on
There Successfully.
to BE Conducted More
or Less Extensively With Seeds
observation-disclosures Exhaustion and
Increased Demand Advance Prices.

A most interesting paper on Rubber
Cultivation for Porto Rico by o. j. Cook,
special agent, has been issued by the De-
paTtment of Agriculture. In view OF the
possibilities of rubber production in Porto
Rico, which is really a Territory Of the
United States. the paper will prove of val
ue to every person interested in the deveI-
opment and manufacture Of rubber. Spe-
cial Agent Cook has handled the subject
exhaustiyeIy Hepoints out where valua-
bic experiments may be made in the plant
ing Of different ubber-produeing plants,
of which there are many varieties, that
in his judgment would thrive in Porto
Rico.
Mr.. Cook writes:
After sugar and coffee rubber is the
most important commodity of vegetable
origin now imported into the United States,
our receipts during 1889 being valued at
$Se, SEQ 600. The anticipation of an ex-
haustion of the natural supply by the con-
stantly increasing demand, accompanied by
eYsr-ascending prices, now ranging be-
tween 90 cents and 81 per pound, has con-
tinued 10 stimulate interest in the future
of rubber as an agricultural crop.
The tropical colonies Of England.
France, and Holland, were first aroused,
but the recent acquisition of tropical ter
ritory by the United States has turned the
attention of many Americans to tropical
agriculture with the unknown possibilities
Of rubber culture as one of the most aIlur-
ing branches. Many newspaper and other
articles have been written advocating I'M
mediate steps toward the cultivation OF
rubber in Porto Rico, Hawaii, and the
Philippines, and numerous requests for IN
formation and advice on the subject nave
been received by this department,
The extent 20 which the wild supplies
of rubber are exhausted is as yet, entire
ly uncertain. The regions from which the
largest contributions now come, the trop-
les of Africa and South America, are still
largely uneXplored, geographically as well
| as botanically, and the discovery OF new
! areas of Tubber-beaTing vegetation, as Well
| as of new rubber producing species, is OF
| frequent occurrence and may continue at
| the present rate for many years. But as
! the regions drawn upon become more inae-
! cessibIe and the demand becomes more ex-
! tensive the rise in prices may be expected
| to continue until the production of rubber
| by agricultural or other artificial means
! has been placed on a scientific and indus
| trial basis
| Perhaps the greatest danger to which
! an agricultural industry based on rubteT
| would be subject, is the perfection OF the
| accidental discovery that rubber may be
! formed synthetically from tuTpentine
| Although the fact was announced in 1892
/ no progress is known to have been made
| In fastening this process of formation q
artificial rubber which is too slow and
| uncertain to he of practical value. But
since a Slight increase in chemical knowi-
( edge might at any time change the whole
( situation, this possibility should be rec
| ognized by those who propose TO risk the!I
resources upon rubber cultivation althouet
/ the danger may prove to be remote, In
any case it viii affect to far less de-
| gree the farmer or planter who may grow
rubber. as suggested later. as an acce ssory
TO other lines OF agricultural production
and thus avoid a large part OF the expense
and risk attending enterprises based or
| rubber alone