May 1. 1911.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



261 



ing. Not all of tliose wlio escape survive, however. The jungle 

 road is said to be strewn with the bones of -those who. though 

 strong enough to make the effort, were too weak to persevere, 

 and who lay down and died, their faces turned toward freedom. 

 At length, much too soon, the day of departure from hospi- 

 table, fascinating Suriname arrived. After giving mod- 



- .. V- •>! 



Gold Miners Cawf "Uieu AIekci." 



erate tips to tlie surprised and grateful servants at the 

 little hotel, and being thanked with deep and respectful 

 curtsies and with wishes for a safe journey and a prompt 

 return, we drove to the house of the Balata Man, who in- 

 sisted in taking us out to the steamer in his own launch. Al- 

 though it was "mail day" and he was patently busy, he tarried 

 for lunch aboard the steamer and then departed before we had 

 half told him and his charming wife how pleasant and profitable 

 they had made our stay. Soon after this the great banana barges 

 drew away, the anchor came up and, slowly turned by the out- 

 going tide, our boat's head was pointed north and the homeward 

 journey begun. 



[THE END.] 



INDIA RUBBER AND BALATA IN DUTCH GUIANA. 



(By Our Regular Correspondent.) 



THE imports of Hcvea-Brasilicnsis rubber seeds in 1910, 

 for the greater part from Ceylon by private planters and 

 the aid of the botanical station, amounted to far over "a 

 million seeds." The germination, though guaranteed to be over 

 70 per cent., was, as a rule, not entirely satisfactory, and I fear 

 to overstep the limit of the safe side when I put the figure at 35 

 per cent. 



From now, however, Surinam is able to supply hei'ea seeds 

 from her own trees and even sell seeds and stumps to Demerara. 

 A local planter made a contract to sell quite a number to our 

 English neighbors. 



Voorburg, Clevia, de Neuwe Grond and Clarenbcek were among 

 the first to send small consignments of plantation rubber to 

 Europe and the United States. The reports on it were favorable. 

 The first four cases of our wild rubber — Hcvea Gtiianensis — went 

 to your side. 



Our Forest Department is trying to develop this industry in our 

 "Boven Para District." The negroes there still laugh at it, but 

 some Japanese and Frenchmen were already able to tap and 

 prepare the wild rubbc"- at 60 (American) cents a pound, and 



make two pounds per working day and are happy and stick to it. 



The Surinam balata industry has had a record year, as may 

 be gathered from the fact that the imports have increased from 

 365.2 pounds in 1S81, when the trade had its commencement, to 

 893 tons in 1910, compared with the next largest year's ship- 

 ments, 630 tons in 1909. 



The January, 1911, issue of The Indi.\ Rurrer World had a 

 very interesting article, by the editor, on his visit in Dutch 

 Guiana to the "balata man" in Paramaribo, and he will not be 

 surprised to learn now that the balata business of Maj. J. G. van 

 Hemert and Henii-Benjamins, ll. d., has been taken over by the 

 "Balata Compagnife, Suriname," Ltd. The capital of this com- 

 pany is 2,000.000 florins ($800,000). Directors are leading rubber 

 men in Antwerp and Rotterdam. The representative in Para- 

 maribo will be Mr. Henri Benjamins. We learn, from the pros- 

 pectus, that the new company has taken over the whole interest 

 of the gentlemen named, and their concessions and exploitation 

 for 1,050,000 florins in fully paid up shares. 



Subscriptions have been invited for 1,300 shares in 1,000 florins, 

 of which 500 shares were already placed. The balata exports of 

 the firms mentioned, have grown from 144 tons in 1905 to 365 

 tuns in 1909, or a little over half the total exports. 



According to the books of the firm the net revenue of their busi- 

 ness has been : 



In 1905 a 97,295 



1906 101,680 



1907 145,279 



1908 121,128 



1909 183,552 



The minimum guarantee for 1910 is 180,000 



The crop for 1911 is already sold for a higher price than that 

 of 1909. Above stated net revenue was earned after making 

 the necessary deductions. The exploitation of balata is ac- 

 companied by the making of advances to the "bleeders" or 

 tappers, which advance must be regarded up to a cer- 

 tain amount as "funds sunken." During the exploitation 

 there has been written ofif and figured in the balance 

 as pro memoriam a sum of 336,678 florins, of which amount, 

 perhaps, one-third, or 120,000 florins, will still be receivable. 

 The items to be taken over, according to the balance of Decem- 

 ber 31, 1909, are: 



a. Advances for the campaign, 1910 ft. 344,410.08;^ 



b. Goods in different depots, food and clothes for the 



laborers 62,043.04;^ 



I". Stationary properties, wharf Loekibaka at Para- 

 maribo, river frontage of 125 yards, with 

 stellings, storehouse building, wood, and stores 

 in Nickrie Tibiti and Saramacca river 95,207.11 



d. Steamboats "Ellen" and "Helena," with canoes, 



paddles, etc., etc 18,940.10 



e. Carts in Surinam, debentures, etc 15.139.64 



f. Balata already in Europe 13,149.18 



g. Advances in earlier campaigns, 336,675 pro memoriam 



n. 548,889.16 

 Add guaranteed net revenue by vendors for 1910. .. .180,000.00 



A. 728.889.16 

 Less one dividend, creditors 258,523.34 



Remains H. 470,365.82 



Willi the capital already in the business, the guaranteed profits 

 (if 1910 and the remaining 250,000 florins of the subscriptions, 

 the new company will have ample capital. The 700,000 florins, 

 in shares, remain in porto folio for eventual extension and de- 

 velopment of the company. 



The reasons for Mr. van Ilemert and Mr. H. Benjamins sell- 



