A ROMANCE OF RUBBER.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 60, 25 October 1911, Page 7

A ROMANCE OF RUBBER.

Among the pioneers, of modern industry must be re'ekoned Mr. H. A. Wickham, the man who brought the seeds of the rubber-producing tree i from the Upper Aihazon to Britain’s Eastern possession, where a vast industry is now being developed in the form of rubber plantations. It was. in 1863 that he found on a high tablaland in the heart of South America the Hevae tree, which yields the best kind of Parra rubber.' ■ He conceived the idea of cultivating the tree, but the people he consulted in London when he got back to civilisation laughed at him. Fortunately, he' made the acquaintance of Sir Joseph Hooker, and with the assistance of this botanist ho secured a commission from the Lidia Office to procure seeds of the Hevea tree. Then ho went back to Brazil where the Government was taking every precaution to prevent the export of the seed or seedlings, in the belief that an immesely profitable monoply could bo maintained. Mr. Wickham waited long for his opportunity and several attempts to take the seeds were foiled by the vigilance of the Brazilians. Ho was camped in tiie upper roaches of the Amazon when the inhabitants were amazed by the arrival of an ocean going-steamer, the first vessel of the kind to make use. of the wonderful waterway that penetrates into the heart of South America The Englishman chartered the ship for the return journey in the name of the India Office, and then made a dash for the rubber forest, with a party of Indians. The seeds, ware gathered in frantic haste, and were packed in open-work wickc.V baskets. The treasure was; carried back to the ship and placed in the empty fore-hold. Mr. Wickham’s great anxiety was lest the seeds should germinate.prematurely, and hoespayed .no efforti to’ koep them cool and dry. The.suspicions of, the Brazilian authorities at Para were hilled by the statement that the siiip was carrying botanical specimens for the Royal Gardens at Kew. and within two months 70,000 little Hevea trees were growing under glass in London. The plantations of Ceylon, Southern India, Malaya, and Now Guinea have come from the stock that Mr. Wickham won more than forty years ago.