New-York tribune., 1908-10-05
FT-TT-RE SUPPLIES OF RUBBER.


Through the holding of international ex-
hihitiOn in London devoted exclusively 10 rub
ber, fresh emphasis is laid On the extraordinary
demands for that article made by industry
Before the days of the bicycle it was put to Il
remarkable variety of uses. Within the last
twenty or twenty-five years these have been ex-
tended to the manufacture of hollow and solid
tires for an enormous number of vehicles. and
the possibility of increasing one of the benefits
thus conferred on the public-the partial con-
quest of street nOises-was suggested half Sc
riousiy by Sir Henry Blake in the address with
which the exhibition was opened He remarked
that if the price could be reduced to two Eng
Iish shilIings a pound rubber might compete
with the stone quarry in affordng paving ma
teraI The suggestion is a delightful one, since
il hints of relief from the noise of delivery
wagons and trucks which still retain metal
tires Whether or not the scheme is practi-
cable there is little prospect that it will be
realized until rubber is more abundant than it
is now
From recent consular report it appears
that the Importation of rubber from Brazil by
the United States last year fell off TO such an
extent that financial distress felt by the
producers and merchants, and several of the
Brazilian states suffered likewise from a loss
of revenue The effects Of such a reaction,
however. must necessarily be temporary, and
the hope Of 4 permanent enlargement Of the
worlds supply seems to depend largely on OBJ
tanning rubber from other countries as well
as from Brazil. Not the least important feature
of the London exhibition was the number of
lands from WHICH contributions Of raw material
came Among them Australia, Java, Su-
matra, Borneo Ceylon. the Congo Free State
and the African possessions of England, Ger
many, Holland and Portugal Some Of these
countries, like Mexico have undertaken to raise
rubber from young trees procured in Brazil. In
the aggregate the product is yet small but it
has been estimated that the plantations recently
started in Ceylon and BOrneo alone might soon
yield $1,000 tons annually, an amount nearly
eQuallng that which was exported by Brazil
in 1901 \ proper exercise of sagac!ty and en-
ergy in the places which have made the ex-
pertinent therefore, would IN a short time have
its reward.
Whether or not the promised reinforcements
viii have all the qualities Of the Para gum
and possess them in the same degree Is a point
still in dispute. The Brazilian product comes
from large forest trees. The cultivated rubber
is obtained from much younger and smaller
ones A rubber tree begins to yield when six
or seven years old. 1t is asserted that for some
reason plantation rubber does not display quite
the strength and resiliency found In forest rub
ber. If the inferjOrity De due to Il difference
in the size Of the trees, time ought to correct
the fault. Should ii be attributable TO diff
ference in methods of coagulation as has some
times been believed. there would seem 10 be 4
chance Of Improvement when tho planters have
fully mastered their business. Rut whatever
the truth may he concerning the relative merits
Of the wild and cultivated rubber any consider