Evening star., 1902-02-25
PHILIPPINE RUBBER
VALUE OF THE SUPPLIES FOUND
IN THE ISLANDS.
Demand for Gutta-Percha Increases.
While the Number of Trees De-
creases-The Trade.
rom the New York Evening Post.

FROM The New York Evening Post.
In writing on gutta-percha in the Elec-
trical World and Engineer Major J. Orton
kerbey says that the supply in the Philip
pines should be husbanded, and quotes the
report Of the Philippine commission on the
subject, as follows: ut appears that, while
many trees produce gutta mixed with
resinous and other substances the main
source of gutta which is available for COM
mercial purposes is afforded by trees be-
longing to two genera. dichopsis and pay
cena, the former species producing the best
gutta known. The destructive method OF
exhausting by the natives, who cut the
trees down and ring them, is unnecessary
1t is possible to obtain more satisfactory
results by careful tapping without injuring
the tree. In 1S43 gutta-percha trees were
abundant on Singapore Island and on the
Malay Peninsula. but they have been SO
thoroughly cleaned out that the botanical
gardens at Singapore cannot obtain plants.
The destruction cf gutta trees in Su-
matra and BOrneO has been widespread.
The demand for gutta steadily Increases.
like that of rubber while the supply as
steadily decreases. The gutta trade is prin-
cipally in the hands of the Chinese of Sim
gapore. who adulterate in every conceivable
way. There is a demand 600 times greater
than the supply"
Danger of Gutta Famine.
He declares that the danger of famine
In gutta is as great that of rubber. and
says that the officers of the United States
Signal Corps. many of whom are expert
cable operators and practical electricians,
are giving the subject of gutta their ener-
getic attention. and beneficial results may
be expected. "The signal officers he says,
will give the matter of the product Of
trees, like those of gutta and rubber. espe-
;aI ,;tL
vancing the telegraph and cable enterprise
Of the government. The trouble heretofore
has been that the forestry bureau of the
Philippines which is product of the Span
ish occupation and baSing their report on
the work of the native forester, only look
to the value of a forest by the number OF
trees that are useful as timber for it's va
rious purposes of supplying hardwoods for
furniture, or trunks of trees adapted for
piling. woods for railroad ties, building
operations, etc
A gutta -percha rubber tree standing Is
worth an ave age of $40 per tree each sea-
son for forty years. and several hundred
trees may be cultivated to the acre at rela-
lively less cost with greater returns than
from any growing product of the earth. It
is estimated by the commission that 3OO.-
100000 pounds of gutta-percha have been
exported from Singapore during the last
fifty years. involving the destruction Of at
least 1jO.000.O00 trees, and the waste by i'm
perfect collection of some 3.0O0.0o0 pounds.
New and Old Lands.
"Great Britain and Holland are the coun-
tries owning all known tta-percha lands
outside Of the Philippines. They are taking
active steps not only to preserve the trees,
but to establish new plantations. Germany
has long had an agent in gutta and rubber
producing countries with view to the in
PRODUCTION of the trees into her African
and New Guinea possessions. Some years
ago France sent gutta seedlings to all her
tropical possessions. and a representative
of that government visited BorneO. An
other representative Is now investigating In
Java Yet our government Is slow to take
up matter of such importance and hesi-
tates at appointing practical expert to
assist in developing a great industry: Hol-
land at present monopolizes all gutta seed.
which has become so valuable because OF
the ruthless destruction Of trees that 1t fS
found more profitable to keep trees for the
seed than to extract gutta from them. AL
though the best gutta producing tree d.
chopis gutta, Is not yet found in the present
open territory there is no doubt that il It
does not already exist the best species can
be grown In our own possessions which In
in the same latitude with the habitat In
North Borneo. The Identification of the
genuine rubber and gutta tree must be de-
tefmined by practical experts. Unques-
tionably the rubber trees from the Amazon
may be transplanted and be grown in the
new possessions several varieties already
heine found to be INDIGENOUS"