244 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[February 1, 1913. 



character, which has served to carry out European enterprise. 

 The Singhalese of Ceylon, the Malays of the Peninsula and the 

 Sunda Islands, as well as the Javanese, are easily accessible to 

 European civilization. 



The population of the five principal Eastern rubber producing 

 countries is estimated as follows: Ceylon, 4,000.000; Java, 30,- 

 000.000; Federated Malay States. 1.000,000; Sumatra, 3.200,000; 

 Borneo, 1.700,000. Of the four million population of Ceylon, 

 about two-thirds belong to the Singhalese race, while the coolies 

 on the plantations are almost all Tamils from Southern India. 

 On the Malayan Peninsula the number of coolies employed in 

 1910 was 179,030, composed of: Tamils, 98,988; Chinese, 45,663; 

 Javanese, 17,760; Malayans, 14,258; others, 2,361. In Malaya the 

 Tamil coolies are generally found on the older estates, having 

 a prejudice against new estates. Tamil coolies, in addition to 

 being cheaper, are more obedient than Chinese and Javanese 

 coolies. 



Regarding hygienic conditions, they are in general satisfactory 

 in Ceylon, except in times of epidemic, while in Malaya and 

 Sumatra they leave a good deal to be desired, particularly in 

 new plantations. 



HISTORY OF HEVE.\ CULTIVATIOX IN THE EAST. 



In a section devoted to the above branch of the subject Dr. 

 Huber recalls the well-known facts which have led to the present 

 development. The total area planted in the Middle East is 

 estimated at 1,125,000 acres in 1911. divided as follows: 



Acres. 



Malavan Peninsula 550,000 



Ceylon 215,000 



Sumatra 150.000 



Java 125,000 



Other Sunda islands 40.000 



Southern India and Burma 30,000 



Cochin China 15,000 



Total 1,125.000 



PRODUCTION OF E.\STERN PLANT.\TIONS. 

 The figures of 1911 exports from the two principal sources in 

 the Middle East are quoted as : Ceylon, 3,194 tons ; Malaya, 

 10.700 tons: total, 13,894 tons. With respect to Malayan pro- 

 duction for the five years 1912 to 1916, Dr. Huber makes the 

 following estimate : 1912, 20,000 tons ; 1913, 32.000 tons : 1914. 

 45.000 tons; 1915, 60,000 tons; 1916, 70,000 tons. That these 

 figures are not exaggerated is confirmed by the independent 

 estimate for 1916, of 65,000 tons from 360.000 acres, by the 

 Director of .Agriculture of the Federated Malay States. 



PLANT.-\TION ORGANIZATION. 

 This subject is comprehensively dealt with, from the acquisi- 

 tion of the ground to the packing of the rubber for shipment. 

 The question of the cost of production is then taken up and 

 finally the cost of establishing a Hevea plantation. 



FUTURE OF ASIATIC PLANTATIONS. 



The portions of Dr. Ruber's report referred to. chiefly deal 

 with the past and the present of Eastern rubber cultivation. In 

 the last two sections he discusses the future of Asiatic and 

 Amazonian plantations. He remarks as to the former, that an 

 industry so highly developed and so richly capitalized will not 

 allow itself to be easily overcome by unfavorable circumstances, 

 and to a certain extent guarantees its own success. At the 

 present price of rubber, a well-managed plantation in full bear- 

 ing is, he remarks, in a position to yield fabulous profits, if the 

 capitalization is not too high. He asks whether these conditions 

 may not be altered by external or internal ciiises, the former 

 including the question of labor and its price. 



The chief danger confronting the Asiatic plantation industry. 

 however, arises from its organization, and depends upon finan- 



cial considerations. The careful observer will remark in this 

 rapid evolution, symptoms of precipitation and errors inherent 

 to an industry still at an early stage. 



After discussing the cultivation of Hei-ea in comparison with 

 that of cereals, tobacco and cotton, Dr. Huber adds, that in 

 accordance with the nature of the plant, its cultivation should be 

 slow but steady, while under the exacting requirements of capital, 

 it has to give a maximum yield. Probably the time will come 

 when planters will recognize the necessity of letting the trees 

 rest at regular intervals. 



Dealing with the question of the number of large trees to an 

 acre, he refers to the opinions expressed in favor of planting 

 SO or 40, giving his own view that under the most favorable 

 circumstances not more than 20 should be allowed. For 400 

 pounds to the acre each tree would then have to give 20 pounds. 



As to the general question. Dr. Huber remarks that there is 

 no longer any doubt of the acclimatization of Hevea in the East, 

 public opinion in .-\mazonia having, moreover, begun to be en- 

 lightened on that point. 



EASTERN AND AMAZONIAN PLANTATIONS. 



In the final passages of his report. Dr. Huber remarks that one 

 of the principal factors in the rapid development of Asiatic 

 plantations has been the abundance and cheapness of labor in 

 contrast with its high cost in Amazonia. "But," he adds, "we 

 are in need above all of a directing staff of skilled agriculturists, 

 with sufficient experience to organize an important agricultural 

 enterprise with satisfactory results. In the East such men are 

 never lacking, particularly those trained in Ceylon and Java as 

 administrators of plantations." 



The opinion is expressed that the complete abolition of duty 

 on plantation rubber exported (even for a certain number of 

 years) would be the most efficacious means of stimulating Brazil- 

 ian plantations, especially those heavily capitalized. 



As has been already pointed out. The cost of establishing 

 in Brazil a plantation upon the Eastern model would be higher, 

 on account of the dearer labor, which costs in Amazonia, it is 

 estimated, ten times what it does in the East. But, apart from 

 the question of establishment, is that of operation, in which Dr. 

 Huber sees no chance of competing with -Asiatic plantations, at 

 least during the earlier years of existence, when the yield of 

 latex is small. The whole problem depends on the yield obtained 

 by the individual laborer. If he is paid ten times as much as in 

 the East but gathers ten times as much rubber, he can compete. 



In conclusion Dr. Huber thus sums up the case of the East 

 vs. Amazonia : "In the East, where labor is relatively cheap, 

 and where a tax is paid on the land, the return for a given 

 area is of great importance. On the other hand, here (in 

 Amazonia) where land is relatively abundant and cheap, but 

 labor very dear, this factor is of subordinate importance to 

 the yield per laborer. Consequently we ought to strive in our 

 plantations to prevent the trees planted from being exhausted 

 before their time, by premature and unprofitable tapping, so 

 that at least a good part of them may attain large dimensions; 

 this being the only means of insuring profitable working, not- 

 withstanding the high cost of labor." 



Such are a few of the most salient points in Dr. Huber's 

 valuable and interesting report (in Portuguese), which in 

 pamphlet form occupies 116 pages. While principally intended 

 for the Brazilian planter, it contains much matter of general 

 vhIuc to the industry. Tnld in Dr. Huber's lucid and com- 

 prehensive style, the story of his Eastern journey is a distinct 

 acquisition to rubber literature. 



M. J. Kabayashi has been appointed editor-in-chief of the 

 Japanese rubber paper, "The Goniu Shimpo Sha," published 

 at Tokyo. Japan. 



