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the Pearl Lagoon, on the Bluefields and Escondido rivers. In 

 Panama rubber is being planted, in Costa Rica there are a few 

 young plantations, and in Honduras rubber has been planted as 

 shade for cocoa. In San Salvador some rubber has recently been 

 planted. Altogether there are in the Central American republics 

 as far as I know 12,230 acres under rubber. 



During the year 1904 the first attempts at collecting latex from 

 cultivated trees were made in Nicaragua. These experimental 

 tappings were made on a plantation about thirty miles north of 

 Bluefields in the Pearl Lagoon district. The plantation is one of 

 the oldest in the country and belongs to an American, Mr. J. C. 

 HORTER. The trees tapped were raised in a nursery in 1897, 

 transplanted in 1898, and in 1904, at an age of seven years, they 

 measured 17 to 30 inches in girth and 40 to 45 feet in height. 

 Of the 6,000 trees that were tapped the largest received three 

 incisions, the medium-sized two incisions, and the small ones only 

 one. The average amount of rubber per tree was one and a half 

 ounce. Careful attention was given to the collecting and the 

 rubber obtained was of a greater value than the ordinary "Nicar- 

 agua syrup," as the rubber of that district is commercially known. 

 A few of the largest trees were tapped repeatedly at intervals of 

 two weeks without apparent injury, and they yielded each time 

 almost the same amount of rubber. 



The Government of Nicaragua, a few years ago, issued a decree 

 offering a premium of ten cents for every rubber tree planted, 

 when the number does not go below 250 trees planted by any 

 one person. The decree provides that the trees must be planted 

 sixteen feet apart. Very few planters have, however, seen fit to 

 accept this offer. 



According to recent press reports the devastating cyclone, which 

 visited Central America a few months ago destroyed most of the 

 Bluefields plantations. It is estimated that some 450,000 well 

 developed trees were thus broken and uprooted. 



In August, this year, the Government of the Republic granted 

 a concession to a syndicate for the revenue from the exportation 

 of crude rubber from the Department of Zelaya and the districts of 

 Prinzapolca and Great River. This concession is for ten years, 

 and among other requirements from the concessionaries there is 

 one that they are obliged "to employ only expert rubber 

 "cutters who strictly comply with the requirements of Article II 

 "of the Regulations of October 15, 1901, which say: 'It is 

 " prohibited to make incisions into the trees to the extent of 

 " penetrating the woody part. Incisions of more than one-half 

 " of the circumference of the trunks or limbs of the trees are also 

 " prohibited.' The contravention of this article shall be punished 

 " by a fine of $5 for every tree damaged." On account of this 

 concession it is now required that a planter who wants to export 

 his rubber, must produce at the custom house a certificate from 

 the authorities of the district where the plantation is situated 

 specifying the locality whence the rubber comes. The Government 



