June 1, 1913.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



495 



Some Rubber Planting Notes. 



HINTS TO RUBBER PLANTERS. 



ONE of tlie features of the new "International Rubber Re- 

 view," edited by M. G. van den Kerckhove, of Brussels, is 

 tlie personal manner in which he addresses his readers, 

 condensing into a few sentences the pith of the information he 

 wishes to communicate. In regard to the relative merits of chem- 

 ical coagulation and smoking he addresses his "I'Viends llcvea 

 Planters," reminding them of his previous recommendation of 

 coagulation by smoking, even if this should involve discarding an 

 existing installation intended for the use of chemicals. He 

 further urges that this step is necessary to insure plantation rub- 

 ber maintaining its price with its prospective increased produc- 

 tion in 1916-17. 



In addressing his "Friends, the Castilloa Planters,'' he com- 

 ments on the fact that the special composition of the Castilloa 

 bark does not permit of working with an ordinary knife. For 

 this tree the first requirement is for the tool to be as sharp as a 

 razor, so as to properly cut the bark without crushing it. 



Finally, in speaking to his "African Friends," M. van den 

 Kerckhove dissuades them against the methodical growing of 

 Funtntiiia, that tree not withstanding regular tappings, and not 

 being capable of giving continuous yields. 



GOVERNMENT PLANTATIONS IN THE FEDERATED MAIAY STATES. 



In addition to the experimental gardens at Kuala Lumpur, 

 the government of the Federated Malay States now has the 

 Castleton estate at Teluk Anson. It recently acquired possession 

 of the Tanjong Pondok plantation, at Bagan Serai, in the north 

 of Perak, containing 200 acres planted with 12 year old Hevca 

 trees. Other experimental gardens belonging to the government 

 include that of Kuala Tembeling, in Pahang, as well as Batu 

 Tiga and Gunong Angsi. According to some opinions the re- 

 sults obtained by these experimental plantations are not regarded 

 as sufficiently important. 



COLLEGE OF TROPICAL AGRICULTURE FOR MALAYA. 



Although the question of the systematic study of tropical 

 agriculture has for some time been under consideration in Ma- 

 laya, the proposal now under discussion is of far wider scope 

 than anything before suggested. It is no less than the question 

 of establishing a College of Tropical Agriculture, with an effi- 

 cient staf? and equipped with the necessary apparatus. In dealing 

 with this subject, the "Malay Mail" refers to the advantages 

 Japan has derived from institutions of this character. The co- 

 operation of the District Planting Associations is suggested as 

 one of the means likely to strengthen the hands of the govern- 

 ment of the Federated Malay States in its efforts to promote 

 agricultural education. 



RUBBER PROSPECTS IN MALACCA. 



During his recent visit to Ceylon the Hon. F. \V. Collins, es- 

 tate manager of the Malacca Rubber Plantations, Ltd., gave some 

 interesting particulars as to Malacca in the course of an inter- 

 view with a representative of the "Times of Ceylon." He stated 

 that his company owns 24,000 acres and has about 80 Europeans 

 employed on the property. The other laborers are Chinese and 

 Javanese, the former proving careful and economical tappers 

 and capable of doing a harder day's work than the Tamils. 



The rubber, he reported, is doing excellently, disease being 

 practically non-existent. Malacca, he added, is rapidly coming 

 to the front as a rubber producing country. While the trees take 

 longer to come into bearing than those of the Federated Malay 

 States, the yield, once tapping has started, is well up to the gen- 

 ieral average. The whole of the Malacca properties are in a 



high state of cultivation, being thoroughly clean weeded. The 

 limit of planting in Malacca is 20 x 20, diagonally, or 100 trees 

 to the acre, which is proving exceedingly satisfactory. 



It is of interest to note the favorable report of Mr. Collins 

 on Chinese labor, in connection with the recommendations of 

 the Akers Commission as to its adoption in Brazil. 



NINE MONTHS' STATISTICS OF PLANTATION RUBBER. 



During the nine months ending March 31 last, the London 

 receipts of plantation rubber amounted to 19,700 tons, and the 

 deliveries to 18,300 tons, compared with receipts of 10,600 tons 

 and deliveries 9,500 tons for the corresponding period a year 

 earlier. Stock of plantation rubber on March 31, this year, was 

 about 2,800 tons, as against 1,850 tons in 1912, and 770 tons in 

 1911. From the above figures it will be noticed that the receipts 

 and deliveries have both nearly doubled in the period ending 

 March, 1913, as compared with the figures of a year earher. 



SOME RUBBER NOTES FROM PARA. 



By a Special Correspondent. 

 |\ yiR. AKERS has arrived in Para, and the Booths, accompan- 

 ^^^ ied by practical instructors in tapping, have also come from 

 Europe to join him on his trip up the Madeira. He gave a prac- 

 tical demonstration of tapping at the Botanic Gardens at Rio, in 

 the presence of the President of the Republic, assisted by Dr. 

 Willis. But Dr. Willis seems cautious about saying that this 

 system should be adopted in the case of old trees, whilst Mr. 

 Akers' report suggests that the old system should be prohibited 

 and the herring bone alone permitted. Another demonstration 

 took place in Para, the public invitation being given by M. J. 

 Guerin, of the Port of Para Port Works. 



Dr. Huber has been working for several years on an instru- 

 ment for tapping, which he claims will be "fool proof" and ab- 

 solutely true to 1/128 of an inch in its setting. This is a handy 

 tool, and any workman might be induced to use it ; but the use 

 of the gouge which Mr. Akers means to put into the hands of 

 the Seringueiro is resented off-hand — and unless one can get 

 such ignorant men to use a new implement with pleasure and 

 good will there will never be a change in the methods of tapping. 



Attempts are also being made to get the government to intro- 

 duce 50,000 Chinese immigrants and take off all duties on both 

 exports and imports of first necessaries of life, implements, etc. 

 I believe popular sentiment is being aroused to the pitch that 

 the government must yield to this elimination of duties, but I 

 doubt whether it will concur in the introduction of Chinese. I 

 also believe that the Chinese will come of their own accord 

 as soon as the Panama Canal is opened and communications be- 

 tween the east of .Asia and north of Brazil become established. 



It is now seen that it w-as suicidal not to have begun to plant 

 six or seven years ago. to meet the East Indian competition on 

 equal grounds. But. nevertheless, not a single practical step has 

 yet been taken to carry this out. A mass meetin.g w-as held at 

 the Chamber of Commerce, to telegraph to the Federal govern- 

 ment to adopt measures of relief for the industries in the 

 Amazons, but nothing will be done beyond what has been pro- 

 jected through the "Defesa de Borracha," and this is doing 

 its best to show its utility — but things cannot be done as hastily 

 as people wish. 



The fall of rubber to 3s. 4d. and the keeping of this price for 

 some time longer will be fatal to the industry in the .Amazons, 

 unless the duties are removed. Whether these can be removed 

 without violating the Constitution is a question open to debate. 

 But if the interests of the nation exact this violation it should 

 be done in the most open and frank manner. 



