Statistics of the wood pulp industry of the United States, 1889-Contd.

(6) SUPPLIES AND PRODUCT.-Continued.

IV. TIMBER MARKET.

Statement of average selling rates for timber and bamboos in Meerut, Cawnpore, Bulandshahr, Pilibhit, Bareilly and Moradabad, for the quarter ending 31st March, 1891.

Mentioned on p. 488 as a New Zealand patent, may be simply sulphuric acid. I saw somewhere lately, I forget where, but from a source which I considered at the time reliable, that large stumps could be easily and completely eradicated by boring an auger-hole, filling with acid, plugging, and leaving for a couple of months, when the stump would be found to have attained the state of tinder.

THE ELECTRICAL PLANT OF INDIA.

Page 422. Mr. Gamble speaks with wise caution of this, but I fear" Iron" had extremely little "assurance of the bona fides of its author." The paragraph, I suspect, to be simply padding of the big gooseberry and Sea Serpent order, such as goes the round of the papers in turn. At any rate, I remember seeing it, in exactly its present form, months ago, quoted as from one of the French illustrateds. It struck me at the time as being a typical specimen of the Gallic genius in the purveying of intelligence for a gobemouche clientele. But still, once more, there may be something, just enough to swear by, in it. The "umbrella" is delicious.

F. GLEADOW.

INDIA-RUBBER TRADE ON BURMA FRONTIER.

The India rubber trade was first brought to the notice of the Local Government so far back as 1873, and its exports to the Lower Provinces did not commence till 1870, when the monopoly was leased under the Burmese King to Chinese firms who superintended the work. The sale then averaged from Rs. 90,000 to 100,000, but under the present régime the annual outturn is improving and the industry is becoming more important. The forests producing India-rubber occupy an extensive Kachin district north of Mogoung, and stretching east across the Chinese border, and the importance of this industry was first reported by Mr. Warry of the British Consular service in China. The Kachins were at first extremely jealous of interference with their trees, and although they at first made a mistake of overpuncturing them, they are more careful now. Trees may even, at the present time, be seen punctured to the tenderest branches, but they do not appear to be drained to the extent of half their yielding power. Mogoung is the central town of the industry; four-fifths of the annual supply is brought in there by Kaching in the employ of the Chinese lessees; the remainder is purchased by the agents on the spot. The practice is for the lessees to make liberal advances to the Kachins to meet their expenses during the collecting season; and when the produce is brought in, refund is made by selling the rubber to the manager at half the market value. The Kachins, as a rule, are not very honest in their dealings, as they generally place stones inside the rubber balls to obtain a better weight; but better inducements offering lately they are bringing in purer rubber to the market. It has also been found that the travelling agents of the lessees are very dishonest in cheating the producers by decreasing the weight as much as 60 per cent, and as the Kachins have no standard weight, these agents benefit considerably. Before the British occupation, the transit of rubber was subject to a tax by the chieftains of the different States through which the commodity passed, generally 10 per cent (i.e., ten balls were given for every 100 conveyed), but now things have changed, and an ad valorem rate of 10 per cent on the value is charged. The Kachins are very particular as to the right of extracting the rubber from their forests; and, as an instance of this, some 200 Chinese labourers were brought in by the lessees two years back, with the result that the Kachins started burning the forests and driving out the intruders. The trade is now yearly flourishing, and the revenue derived is increasing; the produce of the past year was 2,834 bags more than the previous one. (Indian Agriculturist).

PADOUK, AS AN ORNAMENTAL WOOD.

Our attention has been called to a very fine specimen of work in Padouk-a dado running up the side of the stone staircase in the new building, 45, Fenchurch Street, built by Messrs. Colls & Son, of Coleman Street, architect, Edward B. Ellis, Esq., 9, Fenchurch Street, E.C. We do not remember to have seen it used for this purpose before, at all events, not for public staircases in City offices. It is a fine piece of panel work, finished in masterly style and with great effect. The figure in the panel comes up very finely under the polish, its tone and colour being rich and beautiful. The hand-rail is also of the same wood, for which it is well suited, being of deep colour, close grained, and durable. This part is not yet completed or polished, but will be as soon as the labour trouble is over. We believe the wood is more expensive to work than ordinary mahogany, but it amply repays, by its unique appearance, the extra cost of working it. Padouk (Pterocarpus indicus) comes from the Andaman Islands, which lie on the east side of the entrance to the Bay of Bengal. The tree grows to a very great height and large dimensions. The heart-wood is dark red, close-grained, moderately hard, and takes a fine polish; it is suitable for furniture, internal house decoration, and numerous other purposes, for which the above qualities recommend it. "Timber Trades Journal."

MANUFACTURE OF WOOD PULP IN SWEDEN.

The manufacture of wood pulp as a natural product of the country has of late become one of the most important trades of Sweden. At present according to the last report of the British Consul at Stockholm, there are more than 120 wood pulp factories in Sweden, about half of which have been started during the last three years. During 1889 alone, 34 new factories were established. The export of the whole of Sweden, which in 1872 only amounted to 114,000 cwt., amounted during 1889 to more than 988,000 cwt. The prices have been constantly declining, but new and improved methods in a like proportion lowered the working cost, and several factories have shown excellent results during recent years. A great number of the factories have been started at places where the iron manufacture has proved a failure. The present improvement in the iron trade, and the large increase for the price of charcoal, may, however, cause a decline in the wood pulp trade. On the same subject the Consul at Gothenburg observes that the trade is not at present in a healthy state, and the future is seriously endangered by over-production and consequent severe competition. The very favourable position this trade originally held, gave rise to over-production