Chapter 8: A Last Word

It would be an adventure to follow a bale of plantation rubber as, carefully boxed or wrapped in burlap, it starts on its long and picturesque journey. Bullock carts, railroads, boats and steamers bring it at last to one of the world markets, Singapore, Colombo, London, Amsterdam or New York, where it is bought by dealers, and then sold to factories which make rubber goods.

An equally fascinating story might be told of its progress through the factory, how it is kneaded and rolled, mixed with chemicals, rubbed into fabrics, baked in ovens, and finally emerges as any one of the tens of thousands of articles that are made wholly or partly from rubber.

Rubber manufacturing is peculiarly an American industry. South America gave us the original rubber trees, and the one man who, more than any other, was responsible for making rubber useful was the American, Charles Goodyear. To-day, two-thirds of the entire output of rubber is sold to the United States, whose manufactured rubber goods set the standard for the whole world.

In spite of the wonders which rubber has already accomplished, and the adventures, which have colored its history, only the beginning of the romance of rubber has been told. The plantation industry is still in its infancy, and experiments are constantly being made to determine the best methods of planting, the most fruitful number of trees to the acre, the most advantageous way of tapping. In the laboratories of the great rubber manufacturers, scientists are at work improving old methods of using rubber and devising new ones.

Rubber is a substance of so many important characteristics that its uses are countless. It is used for certain purposes because it stretches, for others because it is airtight and watertight, for others because it is a non-conductor of electricity, for others because it is shock-absorbing, and for others because it is adhesive.

It is on rubber that infants cut their teeth; after all the teeth are gone old age makes use of rubber in plates for false teeth. Ten million motorists and other millions of cyclists in the United States ride on rubber tires that are durable, noiseless and airtight. Balloons of rubber float aloft, and huge submarines plow their routes beneath the ocean's surface propelled by electricity stored in great rubber cells. Sheathed in rubber, the lightning makes a peaceful way through our homes, offices and factories, furnishing light and telephone service. Divers sink out of sight beneath the waves in rubber suits. Rubber air-brake hose on railroad trains makes safe the travel of a nation, air-drill hose rivets our ships, fire hose protects the properly in city and town and garden hose brings nourishment to our growing plants. Rubber clothing protects against storm and rubber footwear guards us against cold and wet. Tennis balls and golf balls and rubber-cored baseballs give healthful sport to the millions. In hospitals and medical work the uses of rubber are without number.

To select the most important use to which rubber is put would be difficult. One student of the subject says:

"Of all the applications of rubber, that of packing for the steam engine and connecting machinery appears to have been the most important, as it has been an essential condition of the development and extended use of steam as a motive power."

Even as you read this, rubber may be in the act of performing some new magic, some fresh service to mankind. And who knows which one of us will, in the years to come, write a chapter in the story of rubber more thrilling than we are able to imagine to-day!

A REVIEW AND QUESTIONS

1. Who was the first white man to see rubber?

2 What use were the natives making of it?

3. Who was the first white man to go up the Amazon?

4. Of what nationality were the explorers who were sent to find out about rubber?

5. Who was the first European monarch to use rubber?

6. How did rubber get its name?

7. How did rubber first come to the United States?

8. Why are some raincoats called mackintoshes?

9. Why is Charles Goodyear called "the father of the rubber industry"?

10. What is "vulcanizing"?

11. What famous men fought in court over the patents?

12. What has a beetle to do with rubber?

13. Name and describe the liquid in which rubber is found?

14. In what part of the tree is this liquid found?

15. What is the difference between this liquid and the sap of a tree.

16. Name and describe the best rubber tree.

17. How are the seeds spread?

18. What climate is needed for rubber trees?

19. Which country formerly supplied all the rubber used in the world?

20. Who first thought of growing rubber trees on plantations?

21. Why did he think it was better to grow them on plantations?

22. How were the rubber seeds taken from Brazil?

23. On what tropical island was the first plantation started?

24. Where are rubber plantations found to-day?

25. What is the yearly output of the plantations?

26. What was the curious coincidence in the growth of the plantation industry?

27. What is meant by the Rubber Belt around the world?

28. What countries are the principal producers of rubber?

29. Why is the worker on a plantation better off than one who lives in the jungle?

30. When are trees ready to be tapped?

31. How are trees tapped?

32. How is rubber "cured" in the jungle?

33. How is it "cured" on the plantation?

34. Why is rubber manufacturing peculiarly an American industry?

RUBBER PRODUCTS

There are so many different articles made in whole or part of rubber that it would not be possible to list them all on this page. The following list of just a few of the thousands of rubber products made by the United States Rubber Company, the oldest and largest rubber organization in the world, will help you to think of many other articles made of rubber.

TIRES

"U.S." Royal Cord Automobile Tires.

"U.S." Mono-Twin Truck Tires.

"U.S." Traxion Tread Motorcycle Tires.

"U.S." Bicycle Tires.

"U.S." Royal Tubes for Automobile Tires.

CLOTHING

Raynster Raincoats.

Naugahyde Belts for Men, Women and Children.

Bathing Caps and Suits.

FOOTWEAR

Keds, the Standard Canvas Rubber-Soled Shoes.

"U.S." Boots.

"U.S." Arctics and Gaiters.

"U.S." Rubbers.

HARD RUBBER GOODS

Battery Jars.

Radio Parts.

Dye Sticks.

HOUSEHOLD

Hot-water Bags.

Rubber Gloves.

Ice Caps.

Tubing and Sheeting.

Nursing Bottle Nipples.

Toys.

Fruit Jar Rubbers.

MECHANICAL GOODS

"U.S." Rainbow Packing.

"U.S." Rainbow Transmission Belting.

"U.S." Elevator and Conveyor Belts.

"U.S." Hose for all purposes, including Garden, Steam, Suction, Water, Fire, Oil, Irrigation, etc.

Paracore Insulated Wire and Cable.

Moulded Goods in thousands of varieties, as, for example, Washers, Gaskets, Plumbers' Rubber Goods, Drainboard Mats, Bath Mats, etc.

"U.S." Tile and Sheet Flooring.

SUNDRIES

Naugahyde Traveling Bags.

"U.S." Royal Golf Balls.

Balloons and Balloon Fabrics.

NOTICE TO TEACHERS

These booklets are intended for presentation to your pupils. A full supply will be sent to you, free of charge, if you will indicate the number of students in your class.

Please address

Educational Department
United States Rubber Company
1790 BROADWAY
New York City