October 1, 1912.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



53 



EXPERIMENTAL RUBBER CULTIVATION AT PARA. 



CEEING the importance now attached to the question of rub- 

 *^ ber planting in Brazil, it is of interest to note some facts 

 recorded by Mr. Walter Fischer, the rubber consultinR expert, 

 formerly with 

 the United States 

 Department o f 

 Agriculture. 

 These facts were 

 gathered by him 

 within the last 

 few years, dur- 

 ing his residence 

 in Para, as di- 

 rector of the 

 Para Agricul- 

 tural E X p e r i - 

 ment Station 



While, gener- 

 ally speaking, 

 rubber planting 

 is backward in 

 the Amazon val- 

 ley, several com- 

 panies have late- 

 ly commenced to 

 go into the work 

 in a practical 



manner; Mr. Fischer having co-operated in 

 investigations and experiments on the subject. 



In Mr. Fischer's opinion, the safest and cheapest method in 

 the long run is that of planting 

 by stumps, although this plan 

 means an extra year's growth 

 being allowed in the nursery. 

 The tirst application of this 

 stump-planting method in the 

 State of Para was at the Para 

 Agricultural Experiment Sta- 

 tion, and is shown in Fig. 1, 

 representing a model rubber 

 plantation on the Station 

 grounds. The tree where the 

 man is standing, as also the 

 row directly behind him, show 

 a growth of 15 months (April, 

 1910, to July, 1911) from good- 

 sized stumps ; while the tree 

 on the man's left is from a 

 smaller stump and those be- 

 yond are seedlings of same age 

 as stumps. The tiees in the 

 plot shown are planted 26 by 

 26 feet, and have been inter- 

 planted with mandioca (Cas- 

 sava). 



Fig. 2 shows a nursery of 

 Hevea or Para rubber trees in 

 the above-named Station at 

 Para. This was the first and 

 only real nursery of Hevca in 

 the State of Para. Modern 

 and northern nursery methods 

 were employed in growing 

 these trees and with great suc- 

 cess. In March, 1912. they 

 were just one year old and 

 for planting as "stumps," being thus a step forward. 



It is to be regretted that Mr. Fischer's valuable services to the 



IJi-iid .\^R^n^^. I'\K\ Ai;rillltur.\l Exterimext St.vtio.n 

 tlie preliminary 



cause of Brazilian rubber planting were interrupted by illness 

 of both himself and wife, which necessitated their return 

 to the States. He trusts, however, at a later date to re- 

 sume his work in Brazil and to carry further his investiga- 

 tions and ex])erimcnts. 



IMPHOVEMENTS 

 AT POaXO TELHO. 



One of the 

 most interesting 

 features of the 

 revived "Porto 

 Velho Marconi- 

 gram," (just re- 

 appeared after a 

 cessation of 

 nine months), 

 is a review of 

 current prog 

 ress at that 

 point. This 

 summary, bridg- 

 i n g over the 

 above-named in- 

 terval, serves to 

 connect the 

 present with the 

 past; thus af- 

 fording a con- 

 tinuous record 

 this busy port. 



P.\RA .\GRICULTfR.AL EXPERIMENT STATION. 



of the progress which has been made at 



Prominent among the works which have been earned out, 

 is the removal of 1,000 feet of soil at the end of the hill on 



which are situated the engi- 

 neers' quarters; as well as 

 a good portion of one side 

 of "Igarape Heights." The 

 earth taken out has been used 

 in bringing the Porto Velho 

 Yard to grade; obliterating 

 the marshy place in the south- 

 ern end of the yard. 



The appearance of the 

 warehouse district has been 

 completely altered by the 

 erection of new storehouses 

 for freight and materials 

 along the river front. Nota- 

 ble among the latter is that 

 of the mechanical depart- 

 ment. Several new residen- 

 tial buildings have been com- 

 pleted on Boulevard Far- 

 quhar and on Wireless Hill. 

 But the most important 

 event in connection with 

 Porto Velho has been the 

 Madeira - Mamore railway. 

 When the "Marconigram" 

 suspended publication in 

 September, 1911, about 137 

 miles were completed. Nine 

 months later, at the date of 

 its re-issue, the remaining 90 

 miles were closely approach- 

 ing completion. This line 

 opening up, as it does, ex- 

 tensive business prospects 

 for Eastern Bolivia, has been 

 justly qualified as the master- 

 key to the entire section in which Porto Velho is situated. It is 

 thus of interest to note that the anticipated opening of the line 



