November i, 1905.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



47 



PROGRESS OF RUBBER PLANTING. 



ANGLO-MALAY RUBBER CO., LIMITED. 



TH E prospectus of The Anglo Malay Rubber Co., Limited, 

 registered October 9, 1905. in London, with a capital of 

 ^150,000 [S729.975] in £1 shares, sets forth that its 

 purpose is to acquire and work certain Para rubber 

 estates in the Federated Malay States. Their aggregate area 

 is estimated at 6331 acres, of which 1713 are under cultiva- 

 tion mainly in coflee and rubber. The estates are " Linsum," 

 "Siliau," "Terentang," "Gadut," " Ayer Silolo," and " Ayer 

 Angat," in the state of Negri Sembilan, and " Batang Kali " 

 and •■ Ulu Yam," in Selangor. The four first named were amal- 

 gamated early in the year under the name Straits Rubber 

 Estates, Limited, and now come within a larger scheme of 

 amalgamation. The present vendor of all the properties is 

 Herbert Wilford Brett, of Halliford. Middlesex (England), who 

 accepts /5 1,000 in cash and ^{^46,500 in shares. The first issue 

 (London, October 16) was at par of 140,000 shares, including 

 46,500 to the vendor, 51,000 to produce the cash due the vendor, 

 and 42,500 for working capital. The board embraces Sir Frank 

 A. Swettenham, k.c.m.g., late governor of the Straits Settle- 

 ments, and Mr. Arthur Lampard, of Harrisons & Crosfield, large 

 tea and produce merchants of London, Colombo and New 

 York. The prospectus reports the rubber trees planted on the 

 properties as follows : 



Sixteen to 2U years 250 



Eight to 9 yeais 6,422 



Seven years 6,081 



Six years 34, 'SO 



Five years 34, 61 5 



Four years 3,561 



Three years and under. 120,900 



Total 205,979 



Mr. Lampard recently assured The India Rijbber World of 

 his strong confidence in the future of rubber cultivation in the 

 Far East, regarding it as the most important future planting 

 interest. He feels that important as is rubber already in 

 Ceylon, it is destined to become still more so in the Malay 

 States, partly for the reason that lands are available there for 

 rubber which have hitherto not been cultivated, while much of 

 the land in Ceylon already has been planted with tea or other 

 crops. He considers the present output from the Malay States 

 as large as that from Ceylon. 



MR. BURGESS'S VIEWS ON EARLY TAPPING. 

 Mr. p. J. Burgess, who recently was commissioned as " rub- 

 ber expert "for the Federated Malay Slates, at the joint expense 

 of the local government and the planters' associations, has re- 

 turned to the Far East after a visit to Europe with a view to the 

 study of certain rubber problems which could be pursued more 

 satisfactorily there than at home. Stopping at Colombo, on 

 his return, Mr. Burgess was interviewed by 7'/te Times of Ceylon, 

 but was disposed to be reticent on the points covered by his 

 studies for the reason that he did not wish to anticipate a re- 

 port which he will make to the government. Mr. Burgess talked 

 interestingly, however, on certain other points. He does not 

 share the view that it is undesirable to tap rubber trees (Hevea) 

 at four years of age. 



" It is really a question for the planters to decide for them- 

 selves, but unless we can show some really bad result upon the 

 tree by early tapping, I do not see why the tree should be left 

 alone so long. I think you will find that there is no evidence 

 whatever in support of the idea that early tapping puts too 



much strain on the tree and drains it prematurely. If I had a 

 plantation myself, I should certainly tap early. There is a good 

 deal of evidence against the theory of the premature strain. 

 You cannot easily kill the rubber tree." 



'• But the latex would yield inferior rubber.'" 



" It would not be fit for the best uses." 



" Would not that atlect the reputation of plantation rubber .-'" 



Mr. Burgess does not see that plantation rubber has a" repu- 

 tation." The prices, as he has already explained, are really in 

 favor of the Brazilian rubber pound per pound of real rubber, 

 after due allowance for the weight of the moisture in the South 

 American product. 



" Besides, I don't see how it could aflfect the reputation of 

 plantation rubber, if it were distinctly sold as immature rubber. 

 Such rubber has its uses and would certainly command a sale. 

 Why not sell then ? ' 



The suggestion with regard to leaving additional moisture in 

 plantation rubber he said he had already fully dealt with in his 

 communication to FJie Times 0/ Ceylon. With regard to the 

 pc'ssibility of artificial substitutes ousting rubber, Mr. Burgess 

 will deal fully in his report. 



BELGIAN CAPITAL IN MALAY PLANTATIONS. 

 The organization is reported at Antwerp of the Federated 

 Malay States Rubber Co., to take over from the Kajang Coffee 

 and Rubber Co., Limited (8, George street, E. C, London), of 

 a concession for 999 years granted by the sultan of Selangor, in 

 the Federated Malay States, comprising 2339 acres under the 

 names of " The West Country " and " Belmont " estates, there 

 being under cultivation 851 acres in coffee, rubber, cocoanuts, 

 and nutmegs. The capital is 2,000,000 francs | =§386,000] in 

 500 franc shares. The vendors receive 500,000 francs in shares 

 and an equal amount of cash. The new company dates from 

 August 3. 1905 ; the headquarters will be at Antwerp. The es- 

 tates mentioned, together with others controlled by the Kajang 

 Coffee and Rubber Co., Limited, have been under the joint 

 management of M. Sidney Parry and E. B. Skinner, who are 

 among the leading planters of the Malay States. Mr. Skinner 

 is on the executive committee of the United Planters' Associa- 

 tion. 



STRAITS SETTLEMENTS BOTANIC GARDENS. 

 The annual report by Director H. N. Ridley, for 1904, men- 

 tions that the demand for plants and seeds of Para rubber (He- 

 vea Brasitinsis) was greater than the capacity of the gardens to 

 supply. Ujring the year 170,175 seeds and 28.665 plants were 

 disposed of, 100,000 seeds going to the forest department of 

 Lower Burma. A special appropriation was made during the 

 year of §1750 (silver) for experimental tapping of rubber trees, 

 purchase of tools, and erection of a drying house. All trees of 

 suitable size for tapping were numbered and registered with a 

 view to a definite record of production under varying condi- 

 tions being made for the benefit of planters. Altogether 12S5 

 trees were registered and 880 were tapped, with the prospect 

 that the amount of dry rubber would average one pound per 

 tree of average girth at three feet from the ground of 3 feet 3 

 inches. It is mentioned that the yield of dry rubber averages 

 less per tree than was pointed to by earlier experiments, but the 

 most recent production averages 97 per cent, of dry rubber, 

 whereas formerly the loss in washing amounted from 35 to 40 

 per cent., and it is considered that the higher market value of 



