rubber consumption, might be found to be as great in the United States
as in Canada. The rubber manufacture in the Dominion, in its
inception, was practically an offshoot from the industry in this
country. Our manufacturers supplied the Canadian demand for rubber
goods until, under the stimulus of heavy protective duties, rubber
works were established beyond the border, since which time, to quote a
leader in the trade in the United States, "the methods of the Dominion
rubber industry have mirrored the best practice in our country." Hence
it seems not unreasonable to conclude that if the Canadians are using
so large a percentage of reclaimed rubber, they are doing no more nor
less than the older and larger concerns here. The most trustworthy
authorities place the consumption of new rubber in the United States
during 1897 at not far from 35,000,000 pounds. Assuming that the rate
of consumption of reclaimed rubber was as great as in Canada, we have
18,435,000 pounds more, or a total of 53,433,000 pounds. But there are
producers of reclaimed rubber who insist that the amount of this
material used in this country equals, pound for pound, the consumption
of new rubber.

The use of reclaimed rubber in Europe is increasing gradually, and
especially in Great Britain. The American product is sold extensively
in that country, and some native reclaiming plants have been started.
The most extensive "galosh" factory in Russia, which is said to be the
largest in the world, is reclaiming rubber according to American
methods. But, as a rule, the Continental rubber manufacturers make
more use of "substitutes," a class of materials which has not found
favor in America. These rubber substitutes belong chiefly to the class
of oxidized oils and may be classed in three divisions: Those obtained
(1) by the action of oxygen or air on linseed oil; (2) by acting on
rape oil with chloride of sulphur; and (3) by the action of sulphur on