Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 September 1899 — Whence Gutta Percha Comes. [ARTICLE]

Whence Gutta Percha Comes.

The tree from which gutta percba Is obtained grows In Borneo, and In other islands of the Indian Archipelago, says the Philadelphia Times. It is very large, but the wood is spongy, and of little use as timber. The leaves grow on long stalks, and are green above and of a bright yellow beneath. The flowers are small and grow In pretty tufts In the axils of the leaves, each on a separate stalk or stem. To obtain the gutta percha of commerce, tho finest trees are cut down, and incisions are made in the bark; a milky juice exudes 'from the Indalons, and is reserved by little troughs made for that purpose. When the juice has hardened" to a certain extent it is kneaded into cakes and exported. The cakes are of a reddish brown color and are full of irregular pores. Before, however, the cakes are ready for use they have to undergo some preparation. They are first sliced into very thin shavings and then placed In a “tearing” machine, which revolves in a trough of hot water. The machines tears the shavings Into small pieces, and the hot water washes them thoroughly. These pieces are then made into cakes and the cakes are rolled several times between heated cylinders to free them from any air or water that they may contain, and to make them uniform in texture. Again they are rolled between heated rollers and thus made into sheets of various thicknesses for use, or formed into rods, water pipes or any other shapes which may be desired.