2l6 



Taking the available figures of area held at the end of the year, 

 giving attention to the Financial strength of the companies, and 

 assuming an intention to plant if conditions permit, the following 

 approximation has been worked out : — 



La7id ill the hands of the 40 Companies. 



Already in rubber ... ... 63 per cent. 



Likely to be planted «• ... ... 31 „ „ 



Perhaps may be neglected ... ... 6 „ „ 



100 



If the companies achieve this, — their further planting of 31 per 

 cent, of their holdings — and private planting ceases 32.3 per cent, of 

 the land in the Territory of Malacca will come under rubber ; and 

 if private planting should proceed pari pasu (which is unlikely) 39.6 

 per cent. 



The present general abstention from further rubber-planting, 

 which is evident in Malacca as elsewhere, is a taking stock 

 of all that appertains to the position. But it is clear that for 

 the present the production of Plantation Rubber most undoubtedly 

 gives a very good return for money invested in it. The Malacca 

 plantations are well developed ; the yield in Malacca seems to 

 be quite satisfactory, and the Malacca estates are generally free 

 from insect pests and fungus diseases. The cases in which they 

 have not attained their estimate are uncommon. 



As the Mycologist of the department of Agriculture, F.M.S., 

 has recently said " Plantation rubber is one of the healthiest crops 

 in existence"; it has to be kept so. 



The yield per acre is at present something which, between the 

 expert and the manager, can be calculated with considerable accuracy ; 

 but we do not know how the drawing off of so much latex is affecting 

 the yield of the future. A tabulation of the forecasts of yield of 

 twenty-seven Malacca companies;, and the actuals realised during the 

 estate-years ending in igi3 (estimated 6,974,250, realised 7,085,846), 

 shews a discrepancy of but 1.6 per cent., thought some of the indivi- 

 dual estates had a rather wide margin of difference, notably those 

 whose tapping area was rapidly extending. Five of the estates had 

 worked to within I per cent, of their estimate, and ten to within 5 per 

 cent. These ten estates made 4,150,681 lbs. of rubber, or nearly half 

 of the output of Malacca. 



The yield on the best estates, as far as recorded, is about two 

 pounds of dry rubber per tree per annum or about 300 lbs. per acre. 

 But this average is worked out on trees which have many years to 

 grow. We do not know yet their maximum yield any more than we 

 know precisely the distance at which trees should be planted to 

 attain this maximum, and the very best way of tapping. 



