Page:Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (IA journalofstrait121878roya).pdf/147

 coanut shells, palm leaves or any thing available, and then boiled for an hour, otherwise it becomes brittle and useless. Its average price per pikul (133 lbs) is from $15 to $50, according to quality.

The only other Gutta Percha that I have seen is Gutta Puteh the product of I. macrophylla; the tree differs from I. Gutta in the shape and colour of its leaves, and is readily recognized at a distance by the Perak collectors.

This Gutta is obtained in the same way as the former, but is worth only about $15 per pikul. It differs in appearance from G. taban in being white, more spongy and less plastic; but it is often found adulterated with G. jelutong, which causes it to be brittle and almost useless. The trees of each species yield about 23 catties of Gutta each. They appear to be very slow-growing trees, and one 3 ft. in circumference at 3 ft. from the ground would doubtless prove on minute examination to be 30 years old. Sides of hills, on granite formations, in well drained spots, appear best suited to their requirements; and if their cultivation is attempted the best plan to adopt is certainly to procure ripe seeds and sow them singly in pots, made of a joint and one internode of a bamboo, and when ready for planting in permanent plantations, the bamboo should be split down on two sides and planted also; thus preventing any injury to the tap-root, of which they are very impatient. Large quantities of small plants are met with in the jungle, but they require very careful lifting on account of their long tap-root; any injury to which, even if they survive, they take a long time to recover. Of the Indian Rubbers, or Caoutchoucs, I have met with two varieties in the Straits, viz, Gutta Rambong and Gutta Singgarip.

In my report to the local Government, I mentioned my belief that G. Rambong was procured from Ficus elastica and since then Mr. Low has written to me that I was correct in the supposition, as he had seen branches and young trees of the species in question; so that nothing more need be said here about G. Rambong, but the origin of Gutta-Singgarip is still uncertaiu. A large plant has been found in the jungle bordering the Botanical Gardens which yields Gutta exactly alike G. Singgarip, but both Dr. Beccari and myself failed to find a perfect flower as they had all been punetured by a minute insect, which in its attempts to get at the nectar destroyed the reproductive organs. Mr. Strettell of the Forest Dept. of British Burmah has discovered a new Caoutchouc producing tree in Pegu, which yields a product equal to the best Borneo Rubber and which Mr. Kurz determined to be Chavanessia (Urceola) esculenta.

G. Jelutong, which is often used to adulterate Gutta Taban and G. Puteh, is obtained from a species of Alyxia.