The times., 1901-04-28

peFimeugatiy " Aihoui SathSiactofN
Resuits-PecuIinriti of the Plant.
As was to be expected the acquisition
hy the United States of tropical territory
growing out of the late war with Spain
has inspired capital to seek investment
in these regions, and a systematic inves-
tigation has been going on in many direc-
tions since the close of the Spanish war.
Many alluring propositions for invest
ment have been circulated freely through
out the country, the most inviting being
the prospects which Porto Rico, Hawaii,
and the Philippines offer for the cultiva-
ton of the rubber tree. This industry has
been especially inviting from the fact,
well known, that the natural supply of
rubber is growing less and less, and the
demand increasing in proportion, with an
ever-increasing rise in price. So great is
the danger Of a rubber famine that the
idea OF buying old rubber boots shoes,
hose. and all other manufactured rubber
goods has been talked of with more or
less serious intent.
For a considerable time capitalists have
been experimenting with rubber culture
in West Africa, the East Indies, and in
various parts Of South and Central Amer
ica but thus far without satisfactory re-
suits. Just now there is serious consider
alton being given to establish rubber
plantations in Porto Rico. To such an eX-
tent has this purpose been entertained
that the Department of Agriculture has
made exhaustive Investigations since the
Spanish war TO gather available informa-
ton regarding the Porto Rican prospects
and the results OF experimentation with
rubber planting in other parts of the
world. These Investigations show that Ut
the present time artificial rubber culture
is still in the experimental stage, and
that not enough data of a reliable nature
is as yet known of the adaptability of
the rubber plant to new-even If similar
environments, to warrant an investment
of capital extensive enough to guarantee
commercial profit. What follows is re-
view of the results obtained from the de-
partment's Investigations:
After sugar and coffee, rubber Is the
most important commodity of vegetable
origin now imported into the United
States, our receipts during 1899 being
valued at So, 100000 The anticipation of
an exhaustion OF the natural supply Dy
the constantly increasing demand, ac-
cOmpanied by the ever-ascending prices
now ranging between 80 cents and 81 per
pound, has continued to 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 Americans to tropical
agriculture. with the unknown possibili-
ties Of rubber culture as one OF the most
alluring branches Many newspaper and
her articles have been written adVo-
eating immediate steps toward the culti-
walton of rubber in Porto Rico, Hawaii,
and the Philippines.
The extent to which the wild supplies
of rubber are exhausted is, as yet, en-
tirely uncertain. The regions from which
the largest contributions now come, the
tropics Of Africa and South America, are
still largely UneXplored, geograp phically as
well as bOtanically. and the discovery of
new areas of rubbeT-bearing vegetation,
as well as Of new rubber-producing spe-
cies. is Of frequent occurrence, and may
continue at the present rate for many
years But as the regions drawn upon
become more and more inaccessible and
the demand becomes more extensive the
unue until the production Of rubber by
agricultural or other artificial means has
been placed on scientific and industrial
basis.
Perhaps the greatest danger 10 which
an agricultural industry based on rubber
would be subject, is the perfection Of the
accidental discovery that rubber may De
formed synthetically from turpentine Al
though the fact was announced in 1892
no progress is known TO have been made
in Fastening this process Of formation Of
artificial rubber which is too slow and
uncertain 70 be Of practical value. But
since slight increase in chemical knowl-
edge might at any time change the whole
situation this possibility should be recog-
nized by those who propose to risk their
resources upon rubber cultivation, al
though the danger may prove to be re-
mote
UNLIKE OTHER SOIL PRODUCTS.
In the consideration Of rubber from the
agricultural point Of view, It is of the
utmost Importance 10 keep in mind a pri-
MARI fact very generally overlooked by
the interested public. Rubber is not like
wheat, apples, or coffee, the product Of a
single botanical species or groups of
closely allied species. It is comparable
rather TO sugar. a substance obtainabie
from great variety of plants. belonging
TO different botanical families, native in
different parts OF the earth and requir-
ing utterly different conditions for their
successful cultivation. Thus sugar exists
in the juices Of a large number Of species
and has been commercially obtained from
the sugar cane, the sugar beet and the
sugar maple, the grape, the date, and the
Palmyra palm.
Similarly substances marketed as rub
ber and gutta-perCha are known TO exist
IN the milky juices of nearly 200 plants
belonging 10 botanical families quite as
remote from each other as the sugar cane
and the beet, OF the palm and the maple
Rubber culture becomes, therefore, a
much in need OF a thorough investigation
While il is impossible TO determine in ad-
vance the possibilities Of rubber cuItiVa-
tion ia Porto Rico. il is desirable, never
thelcss, TO consider the prospects there
OF some Of the rubber plants which have
been Investigated from the cultural view
point
To the cost of numerous experirnenters.
it has been found that the fact that a
rubber-producing tree VIII flourish in a
given locality is not a Trustworthy indi-
cation that II will yield profitable guam
tity of rubber, ana many hopeful and
widely advertised enterprises have thus
met with more or less complete failure.
As might have been expected, the first
attempts at rubber culture were made
with the plants best known as furnishing
the wild supply Pre-eminent in this re-
sDect is the Para rubber tree, with refer
euCe 10 both quality and quantity OF pro-
duct. This is a rather slender forest tree
Of moderate size native IN the valley Of
the Amazon and especially In the vicinity
Of Para, whence much Of the crude gum
Is shipped. For many years its cultiVa-
tion has been advocated in view of the
constantly increasing demand and anti
cipated decrease Of supply. The East In
dian plantations have generally refused
10 become remuneratiye. although in some
cases effort was made 70 duplicate exact
~ the conditions under which the trees
thrive in Brazil. IL is BOW known that
even 10 Brazil, the amount OF rubber de-
creases and the quality Of the product be-
comes inferior, outside the localities where
extensive annual foundations occur, al
though the tree appears to thrive with
undiminishcd vigor in divers situations.
and other species Of rubber plants grow
normally in localities not subject 10 floods
In CeylOn rubber trees are Yielding some
returns from the sale OF seeds, but no plan
tations have as yet become remunerative
from the production Of rubber. In the
Straits Settlements the outlook is said TO
be more hopeful for plantations OF rubber
plants located in very wet places. As
reaction from the failure Of the Para rub
ber tree. aLlemUls haNe benn maaa WIN