The view appears to be held in some quarters that these tacky streaks and patches in crepe rubber may arise from contamination with oil or grease alone. This does not agree with our experience. An experiment was made to test the point using fresh oil and grease drawn from drums in stock, specimens of the same lubricants to which traces of a copper salt were added, and samples of lubricants taken from the bearings of several machines. The treated pieces of rubber were placed in contact with untreated pieces of crepe which served as "blanks." Notes were made at intervals extending over a period of two years. The conclusions arrived at were: (1) Although there was surface discoloration, no tackiness had been caused by fresh (unadulterated) lubricant; neither were the "blanks" affected. (2) In the majority of specimens upon which had been smeared a small streak of lubricant taken from the bearings of machines, tackiness had supervened, and had developed likewise in the contact "blanks." (3) In all cases where a trace of copper salt had been used to adulterate the fresh lubricant, tackiness was to be noted in the course of a short period (a week upwards) after the rubber was dry. Development was slow, but progressive, over the full period of experiment, and the "blanks" in contact were affected. The degree of affection was determined by the proportion of copper salt employed. In the worst cases the affected strip of rubber had deteriorated and disintegrated to such a degree as to cause a distinct longitudinal gap, the edges of which appeared to consist of a moist gummy substance of a deep syrup colour. The adjacent blanks in some cases exhibited a similar appearance in lesser degree, or were merely affected by a characteristic brownish stain. These observations regarding the possibility of damage to crepe rubbers from the existence of brass "liners" or "bushes" in the bearings of the machines lead to the natural query as to whether the use of brass is necessary. Experience shows that it is not necessary. Machines in use for years have been running with plain bearings of iron or other metallic substances. Satisfaction is obtained without the use of brass. COTTON AND OTHER FIBRE.--One of the most frequent complaints made against low grade crepes is the presence of fibre--generally classed in a wholesale fashion as "cotton-waste."