THE WORLD'S RUBBER

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 68, 17 September 1927, Page 25

THE WORLD'S RUBBER

y Outside the Congo, South America MPas the great rubber producing area of world until about 20 years ago. At 3hat time 20 per cent, of the, world's Rubber came from Brazil. Within ■sve years the rubber producing industry was moved almost Tjodily to the Far and to-day, and for a number of the East has furnished the great ymlk of the world's needs in rubber, Ijfhe balance being wild rubber, mostly #rom Brazil and Africa. The explanation is that a farsighted Englishman, •jpir Henry Wickham, shipped some rubiper tree seeds out of Brazil in 1876, iset them out in Kew Gardens, London, shipped the young shoots to Oey|}on. To-day the British control about rj>B per cent, of the world's acreage of rubber, the Dutch about 15 Aer cent., the rest being divided between native, French, Japanese, and owners. Two American rub;ber companies own plantations. There 4,300,000 acres set put in rubber in -.the Middle East, representing a total -Investment of £.170.000,000.