The sun., 1912-07-07

cularly on the tire manufacturing business
naturally j. running riot 4 comparison
OF the present discovery with that ever
famous ARTIFICIAL reproduction Of indigo,
that EXQUISITE natural color lonc cons idered
unapproHohahl. ty human hhndiwork, i
of cours" most Frequently resortcd to
but there ~" 30 many factors IN tho deter
minqtion Of the quality of rubber that an
exact CON Wpurl-on cannot he made. for
manufacturing conditions at the present
time are widely different from what they
Rubber in tho crude state 50 IL at present
a. - 10 for the finest Para grade while
African and Borneo grades, sell for a. low
tha, his artificial or synthetic rubber could
ultimately be made at cost OF - cents
a pound. This statement causes rubber
experts 10 smile. a. il is an open secret
that even now the manufacturing or col
lectinc" cost of the best Para rubber only
amounts. 70 - to . cents pound and l.
The high cost Of the rubber i: not in he
production OF the raw material. but IN the
transportation diricUhies and the grea,
demand Of the consuming market As
long As the amount of rubber produccd Is
not materially increased beyond the ever
kicS AZ i, peHi Is az present, @ su, condilons are
radly changing Enormous plantations
are rising in every section az tn" tropical
and semi-lropcal zones; millions of ne"
rubber trees are being planted and tapped
every year. and within three or four wears
AT the latest even the best grade Of Para mp
pound al the steamship pier. This predic-
iion Is confidently made by. men Who are
high up in affairs Of the rubber business
generally known that the United states
Rubber Company the largest user oi rubber
in the world. has practically completed plane
rubber market condition, Several thou
sand acres Of the best available land are
three wears sufficient crude rubber v i'll be
gathered on these plantations IN the Far
East to supply the needs oi thus company
Other tire and rubber companies are taking
or contemplating similar action. and with
the promoting Of rubber plantations on a
real commercial scale by companies capable
such huge plans there i hut lttte doubt
that the largest users Of rubber viii no
longer be Kidding IN the open market Tor
| commodity. that they expect to raise :
md undoubtedly Will rsi-e-'in their own
| backyard, SO to speak;
This tendency of the hic ruhher com
panies, more than anything else. will brinS
the price of the crude material down 10 a
level more nearly Approaching sc,na
manpiacturins cost utnormous pr",iiis
from the planting and harvesting oi crude
| rubber and from the TAPPING ~ WE
trees in the forests on the upper Amazon
month increases the available suppl, o'
! cultivated rubber and every month nun
dreds OF acres are reclaimed from NirrlI
forest or from other cultivated fields tc
| receive new trees which in iive or six year
will yield the precious lateN
! Announcements Of the discovery OF
| practical method Of producing rubber b,
| the synthetic method therefore are mo-
causing the big men in the rubber and tir'
industries any sleepless nights. Before
| any such process can attain commercla
| Importance and can be reduced to work
able factory method cultivated rubber u
connection with the Wild rubber nj be sol'
at price which will cause even the quote.
low cost Of the synthetic product 60 loo'
EXPENSIVE and urohihitive Better woul'
| IL be for Prof. perkin to set ont to man
ufacture acetone by the first par, of hi
| formula, for acetone is commercially
| important chemical and none too cheaI
| at the present time. 10 make artifcia
| rubber from acetone hy complicate,
| chemical process when the acetone itsel
| offers a splendid opportunity would seen
like wasting good material
| The manufacture and trade of rubbe
and rubber products has passed he gam
bling stage OF two years ago when IN" crud
| product sold at 81 n pound and when pro
| noting companies rose over mig ut, r'ape'
millions for the promoters and collapse'
the next month. Rubber now IL IA sole
business run strictly on the basis OF suppl
and demand, and speculators have learnc'
to let IL severely alone. To corner TEN
| porarily the rubber supply OF the w"!I'
IL still possible, but So FAR no one has bee
found with sufficient nerve and capita
TO try the experiment. And every passin
day makes the experiment more ha1nrdou
and the rubber market more stable. TO tn
benefit and profit of manufacturer, deale
and user Of tires and other rubber goods,