The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1912-10-25

clpal part OF the lmmeQldt0
IN supply of rubber is derived
from a species of the Hevea
tree, but considerable guam
titles are secured from the Castilloa,
Cera and Ficus elastica trees. A num-
Der of other trees and vines yield rub
Der and several of them are under ex-
perimental observation with promise
of successful outcome of their cultiva-
ton. The production of rubber during
the year 1911 was about $4,000 tons.
More than half of this quantity came
from South and Central America,
about one-third from Africa, and al
most all the remainder from Asia. The
Asiatic output now includes 5000 or
more tons of plantation" rubber. The
valley of the Amazon is by far the
greatest source of rubber supply. The
shipments from Brazil are equal to
fully one-third of the worlds supply,
and for the first quarter Of 1912 were
valued at s27.5o0.O00.
The cost of producing rubber is
about % cents pound, and this ap-
plies equally to the wild and planta-
ton product. In the case of the for
mer. labor is very cheap and there Is
no investment in land nor plantation
to carry, but transportation is expen-
sive. In the plantation regions day Ia
Dor Is more costly, but, as the trees
greater quantity in a given time than
he could in the forest. Shipment from
the plantation is easy and economical,
but the process Of production involves
the expenditure of more time and
money than are devoted to the prep
aration of wild rubber for the market
Forests Full of Reptiles.
In the tropical forests trees do not
grow in numerous stands of one spe.
cies as they do in the temperate zone
In Brazil the Hevea trees are found
principally along river-bottom lands
and scattered through dense forests
of hundreds of varieties of different
plants, including vines and hanging
parasites that render passage difficult
From February to June these dis
tricts are uninhabitable, and in fact
inaccessible, owing to the heavy rains
and extensive floods. During the
other six months the land is damp, the
temperature ranges around 80 degrees
during the day and never falls as low
as 20 degrees at night, while intense
humidity is constant The forest
teens with venomous reptiles and poi
sonous insects. The solitary hut of
pellant environment. He is an Indian.
probably transported to this distant
spot from his native province of
Ceara. The chances Of his ever see
ing home and kindred again are re-
mote. He is virtually slave. In a
few years release win come to him
through death accelerated by disease
and the excessive use of alcohol.
Meanwhile, escape from his present
condition is practically impossible. He
will not be taken on board any of the
river steamers, which are the only
means Of transportation to the coast.
He Is stranger and an alien to the
Indians of the surrounding country,
who will either kill him or return him
to his employers for the sake of a re-
ward. In case he should take refuge
among them. His life is literally a
monotonous round, for each morning
he sets out upon the pathway which
his feet have formed to make the cir
cult of the rubber trees within the
tract that has been assigned to him.
The station to which he Is attached is
probably ten or twelve miles distant.
At intervals of a few days a messen-
ger from 1t visits him, bringing his
food supply and carrying away his pre-
pared rubber. Once or twice during
the six months he may be permitted
to take brief holiday at the station.
which win afford him an opportunity
to secure medical attention and to get
drunk at the same time Occasionally
a rubber gatherer of the better sort
makes permanent home with his