The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1926-08-27
RUBBER GROWING
IN j. s. TESTED
Government Warns That
Success of Venture Is
Not Yet Assured.

Washington.-Al the schemes to
take belated stitch in the American
rubber dilemma which resulted when
Great Britain pulled in its supply are
beset by difficulties. One of the least
known of these schemes, although not
necessarily the most unpromising, is
that for growing rubber right here at
home, under the semi-tropical sun OF
Florida and California
The Department of Agriculture has
been trying out seeds and plants Of
various rubber-producing species in
experimental gardens, but as it takes
a long time for the plants to mature
and produce, officials have as yet no
information to give out and they are
advising enthusiastic investors not to
put any money as yet into Florida or
California rubber.
Botanists name long list of plants
which will produce the milky sap con-
tanning rubber The most important
Of these today is the para rubber tree,
Heyea guianensis 1t grew originally
in the Amazon valley but was boot
legged out more than half a century
ago by British planters who tried 1t
out in Kew gardens. London, and in
Ceylon, to see if it would grow outside
of Brazil Then it was used to start
the vast plantations in the East Indies
that are now supplying the world with
most Of it's rubber.
Trees Grown at Miami
"Healthy seedlings of the para rub
Der tree have been grown at the Unit
ed States plant introduction gardens
near Miami and are being transplant
ed to different conditions of soil ana
exposure" DR.. W. \. Taylor chief OF
the bureau of plant industry, stated
in his annual report to congress. "The
collection of rubber plants now grow
ing at Miami includes altogether about
twenty different types.
"Rubber plants that are natives of
dry regions are being tested in Call
fornia, in the coast regions as we'll
as in the interior valleys" he contin-
ued. Several dry-country rubber
plants are known in Mexico, while
others are reported in South America.
Africa and Madagascar The produc-
ton of rubber from the Mexican quay
ule plant has been investigated by
private corporation and the stage OF
agricultural practicability is believed
to have been reached in California.
Desert types Of rubber plants are
being grown In the lower valley of
the Colorado river. and the possibili-
ties of one Of the common milkweeds
are being studied because it grows we'll
on waste lands and produces large
quantity of rubber-bearing material
readily and cheaply Cultivation might
extend over large areas II ways Of uti-
liking the substance were perfected.
This plant Is widely scattered in
southern Arizona and the desert re-
gions of Sonora and southern Califor-
MIA, and it also grows in small ravines
and gullies of barren hillsides a few
'-"iles from tn. coast Of IcweE- califor=
MIA. Some or the plants grow so large
that they form dense masses more
than six feet high and ten feet across"
Problem Is Complicated.
If any of the rubber-bearing species
does show a Willingness to produce
rubber in the United States in worth
while quantities, many economic prob
lens would still have to be solved be-
fore rubber growing could be done on
q commercial scale.
Para rubber, If that should be cho-
sen, would not have the even rainfall
It has in the East Indies because Flor
ida has distinct wet and dry seasons.
With even rainfall rubber trees may
be tapped the year around, but with
an uneven one, tapping would have to
be seasonal. This would involve labor
complications, because at certain times
a great number of laborers would be
needed and at others only few.
Even If that problem could be salts
factorily solved by secondary crops
there would still be labor problem.
East Indian rubber planters can get
cheaper labor than Florida or Califor-
MIA planters can ever hope to get.
Therefore some other means would
have to be found to reduce the cost
of producing rubber in order to COM
pete with England's East Indian prod
uct in price.
The research chemist would have to
work out new means of getting the
rubber out of the sap-certainly a
cheaper and better way. In case one
or more of the lesser known plants
were to be used, for which no method
of extraction is now known, brand
new method would have to be devel-
oped. On top of 1t all the chemists
might come along any day with a
cheap synthetic rubber that would
stretch as far as the best of natures
product.
Vanderbilt Bills Newport