PERNAMBUCO OR MANGABEIRA.—The mangaba, mangabeira, or mangabiba tree (ffancornia speciosa), a native of the high plateaux of S. America, between 10° and 12° S. lat., at 3000-5000 ft. elevation, affords a kind of rubber. The inhabitants of Pernarnbuco are now developing the supply of this article, which is collected by making oblique cuts penetrating the bark round the trunk, and. attaching receptacles thereto. The juice is coagulated by Strauss' method (see above), and after 30 days' drying, is sent to market in cases and barrels. It occurs in the form of " biscuits " and " sheets." Like all rubber coagulated by saline solutions, it is very " wet," and does not rank high in value. It may be remarked that these trees do not seem to have suffered from the recent droughts in Brazil. Further, that the rubber might be much improved in quality by a better method of preparation.
OTHER RUBBERS.—There are a few other rubbers which are prepared as articles of commerce, but as yet scarcely known in British markets. "Paley " rubber is obtained from Cryptostegia grandiflora, a common plant on the coast of India. In Chittagong, it is furnished by Willughbeia edulis and W. martabanica. Sumatran rubber is yielded by W. prima, and is exported to Holland. Malacca rubber is ascribed to Urceola elastica. The rubber of the Malay Archipelago is attributed to Alstonia costulata and A. scholaris; and Fijian rubber is produced by A. plumosa. In N. Aus tralia, rubber has been procured from Ficus macrophylla and F. rubiginosa ; the latter is hardy, and. has been recommended for culture.
Many other plants afford juices which coagulate on exposure, and bear more or less general reaetublance indiarubber. They may poesibly be utilized when better known. They are chiefly QS fOilOWs :-Ficus anthelmintka, the cuaxinduba of Brazil ; F. Doliario, the copiub-ugu of Brazil; F. elliptic.; of S. America; Cecropia peltata, of Tropical America; Artocarpus the bread-fruit tree, in Malaysia and Oceania ; Galuctodendron [Brosmium] utile, in S. America, eepecially Vene
zuela ; Lu..turiu calocarpa and L. of New South Wales and Queensland; Taberturmontuna app., in New South Wales, Queenaland, and Malaysia ; Plumaria phagccdanka, the sticutiba of Para (Brazil); Cumeraria lalifolia, in Cuba ; Gymnerna lactiferum, of Ceylon; Chrysophyllum spp., of Brazil ; Sidcroxylon spp., of Malayeia ; Kakosmunthua macrophyllus, ( f Java ; Imbricaria coriacca, of Mauritius, Madagascar, and Java ; Ceratophorus spp., of Malaysia ; Mucuranga to»ientosa, of the E. Indies; Sapium scoparium, of the Antilles; Hippomane Mancinella, of Tropical America ; Euphor bia (orolluta, in Canada.
Commarce.-The commerce in rubbers, which may be said to be a growth of the last 25 years, haa now attained great importance. Our imports of indiarubber (termed "caoutehoue in the Retures) were 158,692 cwt., value 1,536,660/., in 1876 ; 159,723 cwt., 1,484,794/., in 1S77 ; 149,724 cwt., 1,313,209/., in 1878 ; 150,601 cwt., 1,626,290/., in 1879; 169,5S7 cwt., 2,387,947/., in 1880. The imports of 1880 were contributed ae follows :-Brazil, 76,466 cwt., 1,297,373/. ; IV. Coast Africa, foreign, 22,922 cwt., 276,741/. ; Strait° Settlements, 11,582 cwt., 114,989/. ; Bengal and Burma, 10,264 ewt., 114,416/. ; E. Coast Africa, 9382 cwt., 129,8861.; W. Coast Africa, British, 7271 cwt., 86,669/. ; Aden, 6720 cwt., 84,780/. ; British S. Africa, 4620 cwt., 42,6531. ; Portugal, 3871 cwt., 55,804/. ; United Statee, 8799 cwt., 48,039/. ; Central America, 2440 cwt., 29,005/.; Holland, 1576 cwt., 17,269/. ; Mauritius, 1550 cwt., 19,927/. ; New Granada (Colombia), 1021 cwt., 12,165/.; other countries, 6100 cwt., 58,251/. ; total, 169,587 cwt., 2,387,947/. Our exports in 1880 were as follows:-United States, 21,941 cwt., 282,8941.; tkermany, 18,921 cwt., 269,086/. ; Russia, 16,189 cwt., 261,252/. ; France, 9920 cwt., 112,597/. ; Holland, 7182 cwt., 101,0681. ; other countriea, 2579 cwt., 36,878/. ; total, 76,732 cwt., 1,063,775/.