September 1, 1913.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



649 



RUBBER AND BALATA IN BRITISH GUIANA. 



A MOKG the cliaracteristics of the great tropical forest of 

 •** the South American continent are its dampness and its 

 luxuriant vegetation. It is in these regions of Brazil that the 

 Hevca Brasilieitsis grows indigenously, thriving in a humid at- 

 mosphere. These features being reproduced in the forest region 

 of British Guiana, it is natural to look to that section as afford- 

 ing facilities for the growth of Para rubber. 



This variety grows best on the flat but well-drained lands 

 along the banks of rivers, as well as upon the lower slopes of 

 hills. An official estimate places at nearly 11.000,000 acres the 

 area of accessible lands in the colony, of which 9,000,000 are as 

 yet not alienated from the Crown. A large part of these lands 

 is considered suitable for Para rubber, and in order to develop 

 this cultivation the government has established in various dis- 

 tricts experimental plantations. The points sought to be ascer- 

 tained have been the rate of growth, the best cultural methods 

 and the yields of the different trees. 



Results of experiments have shown that Ilevea Brasiliensis 

 grew vigorously in most instances. Experiments were under- 

 taken in 1905 with Sapium, the outcome of which was so en- 

 couraging that all land now being put into rubber is practically 

 being planted with Hevea Brasilieitsis. 



Figures issued by the Board of Agriculture are instructive. 

 In 1907-8 the total was 416 acres, while in 1911-12 it had in- 

 creased to 2.259 acres, of which about 1,700 are under Para rubber 

 and the remainder the indigenous Sapium. Owing to the active 

 demand for Para seedlings it is anticipated that the area under 

 rubber will be greatly increased during the next few years. 



SEEDS. 



In 1897-1899 several Para rubber trees were distributed from 

 the Botanic Gardens. These have grown well, and their seeds 

 have been collected and planted, but the colony will for some 

 years have to depend on supplies of seeds from the East for the 

 expansion of rubber cultivation. 



Within the last four years more than a quarter of a million 

 seeds have been imported by the government, from which the 

 average germination has been nearly 80 per cent. The plants 

 raised from these seeds have been sold at cost to cultivators. 

 Increased orders have been placed by the government for seeds 

 to meet the larger demands for plants. 

 TAPPING. 



Tapping of Para rubber has been started at two estates on 

 the Demerara, one in Berbice and at the experimental stations of 

 Onderneming and Issorora, the yields having been reported as 

 satisfactory, and the product of good quality. At Issorora ex- 

 perimental station in the northwestern district, one-fourth of the 

 Para rubber trees at four years of age were of tappable size. 



COST OF CULTIVATION. 



On flat lands requiring drainage, the cost, including superin- 

 tendence and the purchase of plants, represented $65-$70 per 

 acre for the first year, and $2S-$30 in subsequent years. On 

 higher ground, where the initial expenses of drainage are less, 

 the first year's cost might be reduced to $48 per acre. 



LABOR. 



No complaints have been heard of scarcity of labor for the op- 

 erations of plantation companies, and it is considered that a 

 sufficient supply will be available for the next five years. The 

 opinion has. however, been expressed that, as with the sugar in- 

 dustry, it may be ultimately necessary to obtain indentured labor 

 from the East. 



WILD RUBBER. 



The indigenous Sapium furnishes small quantities of rubber 

 from the forests. This, it is said, has been exported for many 

 years as "Orinoco Scrap." In 1904-5 the exports of rubber were 

 shown separately as 950 pounds. In 1907-8 nearly 7,000 pounds 

 were exported, since which time the quantity has fallen oflF. It 



is said that this reduced collection of rubber is due to the higher 

 profits made by collecting balata. 



BALATA. 



While the development of the British Guiana rubber industry 

 is to a great extent prospective, balata collection has attained a 

 steady position, the average annual yield since 1908 having been 

 about 1,000,000 pounds. For the three preceding quinquennial 

 periods the figures had been : 



Yearly Average. 

 Pounds. 



1893-1897 226,625 



1898-1902 401,956 



1903-1907 427,790 



Of the quantity produced, the largest proportion goes to the 

 United Kingdom, the share of the United States having been 9 

 per cent, of the total in 1904-5 and 15 per cent, in 1911-12. 



According to the "Handbook of British Guiana, 1913," balata 

 takes the third rank in the exports of the colony. The total an- 

 nual exports represent about $11,000,000, of which about $7,000,- 

 000 consist of sugar, $1,000,000 of gold and nearly $750,000 

 of balata. 



GROWTH OF BALATA. 



The balata trees of British Guiana are to be found all over the 

 colony, particularly on the banks of the smaller rivers and creeks 

 in the low-lying lands. They are possibly more abundant in 

 the county of Berlice, where the industry of balata collecting has 

 been established for thirty years, practically all the male popula- 

 tion in the Canje district taking part in the work. 



With the growing demand for balata its value has increased, 



and search has been made for the article in the districts of the 



far interior, notably in the upper reaches of the Essequibo river, 



from which point some of the best shipments are being received. 



TAPPING. 



Changes in meteorological conditions considerably aflfect the 

 yield per tree, the average of one gallon of latex each which they 

 usually give at the first tapping equaling about five pounds of 

 dry balata. 



In tapping balata trees, incisions not exceeding I'/i inches in 

 width are made, about 10 inches apart, with a cutlass. The cuts 

 are in a "feather stitch" pattern, going up the trunks. Tapping 

 starts at the base of the tree and at first only reaches a height 

 of 12 to 15 feet, but later on is often conducted as high as the 

 principal branches. A zig-zag course is pursued by the latex 

 from cut to cut, till it reaches a calabash at the base of the tree. 

 F'rom these calabashes it is gathered into gourds or kerosene tins. 

 Being then taken to the camp, it is poured into shallow trays 

 (dabrccs), with a capacity of five to thirty gallons, where it con- 

 geals and from which it is removed in sheets. After being al- 

 lowed to drain these are hung up in a drying shed, and are for- 

 warded when dry to town for the purpose of transshipment. It 

 takes four to five years for the cuts to heal, and no further tap- 

 ping is permitted during that time. 



The minimum girth at which bleeding is allowed is 36 inches 

 at the height of four feet. Only one-half of the girth may be 

 bled at one time. 



Owners of balata grants have to take out licenses for the sec- 

 tions in which they propose to operate. These licenses run for 

 fifteen years, or during the King's pleasure, and do not include 

 any planting rights. 



BALATA BLEEDERS. 



Balata is collected by black and colored laborers, who are paid 

 according to the quantity gathered, and have to be registered 

 before employment. At that time they usually get money ad- 

 vanced for the purchase of food and implements. After reaching 

 the tract to be worked, a camp of rough leaf-covered huts is 

 constructed, and preparations are made for the collection and 

 congelation of the latex. Small cuts are made in the nearest 

 trees to ascertain their condition and the prospects of their 

 repaying tapping. 



