January i, 1902.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



103 



THE RUBBER PLANTING INTEREST. 



WHAT IS MEXICAN RUBBER WORTH ? 



SINCE the interest in rubber culture in Mexico has be- 

 come so widespread, The India Rubber World has 

 been in constant receipt of inquiries from outside the 

 trade regarding the value of rubber produced in that 

 country. It is becoming better understood that the rubber 

 from difTerent countries difTers in quality, and the fact that fine 

 Para rubber at times brings $1 a pound, does not indicate an 

 equally high value for the Mexican product. The amount ex- 

 ported from Mexico — practically all of which, as yet, is wild rub- 

 ber — is too small, relatively, and the shipments too irregular, 

 to admit of established market quotations, as in the case of 

 the rubbers which are constantly in stock in large amounts. 

 Mexican rubbers are classed as " Centrals," along with the pro- 

 duct of the Central American states, Colombia, and Ecuador. 

 Hence their market value may always be judged by the quota- 

 tions for Centrals. In answer to an inquiry, the leading crude 

 rubber firms in New York city have favored The India Rub- 

 ber World with statements regarding Mexican rubber, which 

 are presented herewith : 



I. 



The imports of Mexican rubber are very small at present. Mexican 

 Scrap classes with Esmeralda and good Central Scrap. Mexican Sheet 

 classes with the better goods of Central American Sheet. This is a 

 fairly good rubber and is liked here about the same as the other good 

 Central grades. We quote to-day : 53 @ 54 cents for good Mexican 

 Scrap, 48 @ 50 cents for good Sheet, and 45 @ 46 for tarry Guatemala. 



II. 



Mexican rubber comes largely in what is known as Scrap and Sttip, 

 mixed in the same bale. This rubber is worth to-day 54@55 cents and, 

 as it usually comes, is practically the same value as Nicaragua Scrap, 

 the rubber being somewhat dryer than Nicaragua, and the shrinkage 

 somewhat lower, but on account of the Strip being mixed in the bales, 

 it usually brings the same price. The rubber is clean and dry, and is a 

 good, hard, strong rubber. 



III. 



All Mexican Scraps — such as Tuxpan, Laguna, and Vera Cruz — fol- 

 low our prime scraps, Esmeralda and Nicaragua. They seldom fail to 

 sell under one cent below. The qualities of Afexican Scrap are most de- 

 sirable, being of low shrinkage, and desirable for shoe manufacturers, 

 who are the chief buyers. To-day's values, S4&'S-i/i cents. 



IV. 

 Many Central American rubbers sell at this market as Mexican, such 

 as Salvador .Sheet, Guatemala Sheet, Tarry Guatemala, Tuxpan Strip, 

 etc. All these Mexican rubbers are classed with Centrals, such as 

 Nicaragua Sciap. The prices vary according to the grades and quali- 

 ties. Good Mexican Scrap brings the same as .Vicaragua .Scrap, but 

 occasionally higher. Salvador and Guatemala Sheets sell from 510 15 

 cents per pound less, according to the quality, We can quote to-day 

 Mexican Scrap 54@55 cents. 



V. 



Mexican rubber has always come here, and the Scrap today is 

 worth 55 cents. The Sheet and Strip, according to quality, bring from 

 53 down to 45 cents. 



It is interesting to note that these several letters, from as 

 many different houses, are in substantial agreement as to the 

 rank and the current values of Mexican rubbers. By the way, 

 the quotation on the same date for the highest grade of Parti 

 rubber was 88 cents. 



From one of the letters quoted it is to be inferred that if 

 Mexican rubbers were graded more closely, the prime sorts 

 would bring more money. It is, indeed, commonly recognized 

 that all Centrals are capable of more cleanly preparation than 

 at present, in which case their selling value would be enhanced. 

 But it is out of the question, by any means, to make rubber 

 from the Casttlloa elastica tree of Mexico and Central America 

 equal in its properties, for manufacturing purposes, to the pro- 

 duct of the rubber trees of the Amazon valley. 



MEXICAN MUTUAL PLANTERS' CO.'S SHORT CROPS. 



[Plantation " La Junta,'' state of Vera Cruz. Offices: New York Life building, 

 Chicago. 



This company's November bulletin states : " Until this year, 

 we have not attempted to raise side crops — not even for our 

 own use; but with the big force we have maintained on the 

 place this season, we have planted and are now harvesting over 

 200 acres of corn, and arc planting a second crop of 200 acres ; 

 also, 50 acres of beans. As these plantings are made in our 

 new rubber fields, which must be kept clean, the expense of 

 cultivation amounts, practically, to the planting and harvesting 

 of the crops, and with the demand that is likely to exist, we 

 anticipate a good sized revenue for our investors, from this 

 source. "==The price of corn in Mexico has been very high of 

 late, and yet it is practically a necessity on every plantation. 

 There have been reports of $100 Mexican paid per ton, or in 

 the neighborhood of $1.40 gold per bushel, and the govern- 

 ment has been petitioned to remove the import duty.^---^There 

 were recently 81 Chinese employed on " La Junta " plantation, 

 and 20 expected. Toy Kee, lately of San Francisco, "an Amer- 

 icanized Chinaman of ability," has been engaged as super- 

 intendent of Chinese labor. 



THE OBISPO RUBBER PLANTATION CO. 

 (Plantation " La Republica," state of Oaxaca, Mexico. Offices: Park Row build- 

 ing, New York.] 



Mr. Maxwell Riddle lately returned from this plantation 

 to New York, and reports that the year's progress on both the 

 company's lands and his private estate has strengthened his 

 confidence in the future of rubber culture. The first planting 

 x>f rubber (Casttlloa elastica) was done on the Obispo property 

 during the year, two methods being tried: (i) planting the 

 seed at stake in the location to be occupied permanently, 

 and (2) transplanting seedlings from a nursery. The first 

 method Mr. Riddle regards as preferable, where it can be 

 practised, for the reason that, under the most favorable con- 

 dition the transplanting of seedlings gives a setback to their 

 growth. Where planting at stake is the method adopted, 

 three seeds are planted at each location selected for a tree, 

 and when the plants appear the superfluous ones are pulled 

 up, leaving the most vigorous specimens, of course. Thus is 

 obtained a stand of selected plants, the growth of which is un- 

 interrupted by any shock such as might result from transplant- 

 ing. But this method is practicable only during the brief 

 period— usually in June — while the seeds of Casttlloa elastica 

 are ripening, since they do not long retain their vitality. On 

 the other hand, if the seeds are sown in nursery beds, the 

 seedlings can be transplanted during at least eight months of 

 the year, and at any age from a few weeks to eighteen months 

 or more. As a rule planters find it more convenient to con- 

 tinue the work of planting through the year than to concen- 

 trate it within a single month, and hence the resort to seeding 



