The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-04-05

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susceptibility to changes of tempera
ture, which rendered 1t sticky and
| more or less fluid, rubber did not come
Into its own until early in the last
century. AT that time II was discov.
cred, after a great deal OF experiment
! that by mixing sulphur with crude
rubber and subjecting 1t to high de-
gree of heat, these former deficiencies
were eliminated and material was
/ produced which was both tough and
elastic, and would retain those proper
ties under varying temperatures. This
process Of curing was called vulcanI.
zation and is the basis of rubber max
ing today.
| So great has been the development
OF rubber manufacture since that time
that It's products now exceed value
| Of five hundred million dollars an.
nually.
Contrary to the popular impression
F! rubber gum is not derived from the
sap. II Is secured from milky juice
or latex which is found only in the
bark This latex contains a substance
known as caoutchouc (thc active pr!n-
ciple of rubber), together with certain
albuminoids. resins. etc. which upon
the evaporation of moisture coagulate.
form a thick. spongy substance.
The percentage Of caoutchouc. in pro-
portion to other ingredients contained
in the latex, determines the quality OF
the rubber
The regions from which rubber gum
is secured form an Irregular belt in the
tropics and sub-tropics extending
around the earth. the quality procured
varying greatly according to tho
species of plant. the soil and the eli
mate. Great quantities are produced
in Africa, Mexico. Ceylon and the
Malay Islands, but the most desirable
rubber for resiliency and wear resist
ance is secured from tree found in
the Amazon river district, South Amer
lea. This rubber Is known as Para.
the name being derived from its chief
city Of export 1t not only contains as
high as 50 per cent of caoutchouc. but
the methods used by the natives in
preparing 1t for market are so much
superior that 1t is selected In prefer
ence to all others for manufacturing
purposes.
Rubber gathering in the Amazon river
district is hazardous and difficult un-
dertaking. The supply comes from
wild trees scattered throughout dense
forests. to which paths must be cut
through the tangled and luxuriant un-
dergrowth. Even then. the trees can
only be reached during three to five
months of the year, as throughout the
wet season the forests are completely
inundated. The climate Is so un-
healthy that white men cannot do this
work and il is necessary to rely upon
the native blacks, who at best arc
and lazy, Thier reluct-
ance to join rubber gathering expedi-
tions can readily be understood when
It Is remembered that out Of a seasons
expedition perhaps only half will re
turn alive.
When rubber tree is found the
native gatherer cuts series of gashes
INTO the bark with his machete. enclr-
cling the tree from the ground up. as
nigh as he can reach Cups are fast
ened to catch the latex as 1T oozes out
When a sufficient quantity is collected |
[ Is removed TO the temporary hut |
where a dense smoke-producing fire is |
made Of certain nuts and palm leaves. |
Then taking his wooden paddle the
latlve dips 1t into the lateX and holds
t over the fire, turning 1t round and |
'ound until the latex coagulates. AS
oon as 1t Is hard a new layer of latex
s added and ooaGulated as before
This process is continued until the
mass has grown too large for handling.
vhen the paddle is taken out and the
'ubber set aside for export The
process of coagulation and fumigation
With these specially selected nuts and
caves prevents decay and adds 10 the
life and wear resistance OF the manu-.
actured product.
Tapping the trees for rubber does
lot necessarily destroy them, nor is 1t
believed to materially shorten their
lie, but unfortunately many thousands
4 trees are annually rendered useless
" careless and improper methods.
although the source OF crude rubber
um Is practically inexhaustible. the
United native labor supply and the
ifiiculties encountered UP to the time
Z marketing it have tended to keep
own the supply and maintain high
tandard OF prices.
ENCOURAGING eLACkMAIl.
The New York World says that one