The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1907-02-07
Has Resulted In It's Profit
able Cultivation
NO DANGER OF FAMINE
Region Of South and Central America
Most Fruitful Source--Few Arti-
clcs Made Entirely Of New Mate
rinl-Present Demand Equal to
Supply.

Many an adventurous financicr
dreams of controlling the sources CT
crude rubber, as the adventurous
miner fancies himself discovering n
gold mine. Rubber is one of natures
gold mines. Kings have found in this
mysterious substance exuded from
Ecores of different species of trees,
shrubs and vines In the great tropi-
cal forests, whose usefulness was
discovered less than a century ago,
I. source of revenue worthy OF their
attention. The sacrifice of humanity
has not been considered too high
price to pay for the collection
of the precious gum. some of
which sells In the crude state at
$1.2s a pound, and costs in some
cases to gather and deliver in Liver
pool not over 20 cents pound.
Great men have congratulated them
selves when they have secured, as
Thomas +. Ryan and a number of
other we'll known New York capital
lists did recently in the Congo Free
State, a large concession in which 1t
rubber may be found.
The demand at present is about
equal to the supply, but more auto
mobile tires and golf balls, not to
mention electrical supplies and over
shoes. will be required In the coming
years. The importations of rubber
into the United States have more
than trebled in the course of the last
twelve years, and show now larger
value in the import list than almost
any other single product.
Two great sources of supply have
been discovered in the world. the
tropical region of South and Central
America and the Congo. In view of
the growing demands. will not the
rubber supply be exhausted In the
near future
There are several reasons why
there is not likely to be a rubber
famine.
A bout half of the crude rubber
supply of the world comes floating
down the broad bosomed Amazon
from the great forests of the heart of
the South American continent. This
Is in the form of biscuits" as the
balls of smoked rubber, looking like
SO many pumpkins, are called, and is
known as Para" rubber. 1t Is the
best rubber produced. Last year
there passed out through Para 6S,-
100000 pounds, or 100000
pounds more than in the previous
year. With more men to go into the
forest still more rubber could be Sc
cured
Within recent years 1t has been
discovered that rubber can be culti-
waited on plantations anywhere in the
belt bounded by the 30th parallels of
north and south latitude. Many
plantations have been set out In
CeylOn. where labor can be secured
for 13 cents day, and in the Fed
Grated Malay States and Mexico. In
the Malay states within three years
eighteen companies. with capital
ranging between 100000 and ST.
100000. have been incorporated to
conduct rubber plantations. More
than twenty thousand acres of rub
Der trees Of the species that produce
Para rubber have been planted In
four native states on the Malay pc
ninsula. When these become produc-
tive, somewhere between 100000
and 100000 pounds of rubber may
be gathered from them annually. G.
p. Chamberlain. the American Vice.
Consul at Singapore, In recent re-
port said 1t was estimated there by
experts that the expense of 500
acre rubber plantation up to the end
Of the eighth year. when 1t would be
In full bearing. would be $76.440.
and the net returns t467,660, or
more than 500 per cent. provided
crude rubber remained at its present
price.
Experiments are being made In
rubber growing In the Hawaiian. the
Philippine and the Fiji Islands.
There is rubber In Cuba. Another
source of supply is found In discard
cd overshoes. rubber boots and other
articles of rubber. 1t Is said that few