253 



ACREAGE IN RUBBER. 



Sir Frank Swettenham, K.C.M.G., writes witli regard to an Article 

 whicli appeared in The Standard of August 8, last : — The acreage 

 planted with Para rubber in the Straits and Malay States on Janu- 

 ary I, last, was 30,000 acres, and in Ceylon, 25,000 acres. Since 

 that date the total area planted in the Malay States does not 

 amount to 10,000 acres. 



The United Planters' Association in the Malay States have 

 taken pains to go into this question, and in their latest report they 

 give the following figures : Total acreage planted with rubber in 

 the Straits and Malay States 30,000 acres : Sumatra, 5,000 acres : 

 Java, 5,000 acres ; Ceylon, 25,000 acres ; India and Burma, 5,000 

 acres ; total 70,000 acres. Allowing that all this is good, and will 

 give the good yield of 200 lb. per acre, the amount produced 

 would be 14,000,000 lb. This acreage cannot, however, be all in 

 full bearing till the end of 191 1, and they calculate that no more 

 than this acreage can be in bearing till 191 1, because it is not yet 

 planted. 



The exports from Para for the last three years have remained 

 practically constant at about 30,000 tons, and the world's produc- 

 tion was, in 1898, as nearly as it can be ascertained, about 

 60,000 tons, or 134,000,000 lb. The present production is esti- 

 mated at 70,000 tons or 156,000,0001b. of which Asia can only 

 produce 14,000,000 up to the year 1911, what she can produce 

 after that date will depend upon the area planted and successfully 

 cultivated between now and 1911. Standard, Dec. 6. 



Information on Para rubber may be found in the Bulletin of 

 the Botanical Department, Jamaica, as follows : — 1894, pp. 99- 

 105 ; 1890, pp. 82-84 ; 1900, pp. 186-190. And in the Bulletin of 

 the Department of Agriculture as follows: — 1905, pp. 258-269; 

 1906, pp. 20-21, 159-160, 169-170, 233. 



CASTILLOA OR CENTRAL AMERICAN RUBBER. 

 {CastiUod clastica.) 



This tree grows in Central America from south of Mexico, 

 south-wards to the west coast of South America. 



The tree has a variety of local names, the most important of 

 which are ' Hule' or ' Ule' and ' Caucho.' 



Distinct from this plant is Castilloa Tumi, a tree also found in 

 Central America and sometimes confused with the true Central 

 American rubber tree which it closely resembles in appearance. 



In an article in the Beihcfte zum Tropcnpftanzcr for July, 1901, 

 Mr. Th. F. Koschny, a planter of long experience in Costa Rica, 

 distinguishes the following varieties of 'Hule' trees: 



Castilloa elastica : 



' Hule bianco' White rubber tree 



' Hule negro' Black rubber tree 



' Hule Colorado' Red rubber tree 



Castilloa Tunu : 



' Hule tunu' Gutta percha. 



