224 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[April 1, 151 1. 



Landing at "Crocodile" Plantation. 



"Hevea'' Rubber at "Crocodile 



.ANTATION. 



slight signs of sufFering from the drought. (As the rains began 

 three days after our visit, it is doubtful if they were seriously 

 injured). The trees were planted without any shade and many 

 of them from slips from older trees. These did not show the 

 vigor or good growth that was apparent in the seedlings. At 

 the time of our visit the manager was interplanting coffee with 

 the whole of this Hevea growth. Another held that was shown 

 on this estate was an interplanting of bananas and Hevea. 

 Both looked well, the young Hevea showing vigorous growth 

 and the banana trees being the largest we had ever seen. The 

 manager complained, however, that they were not bearing fruit, 

 a very serious calamity, and one for which he could find no 

 apparent cause. 



On this estate as well as on most of the others the canals and 

 waterways were clean and sweet. Of course, where vegetation 

 i? =r. nbundant they become choked with sediment and vegetable 



growths, but about once in two years they are drained nearly 

 dry, closed at each end and gangs of coolies set to work shoveling 

 the accumulation out. 



It was iate in the afternoon when we reached Pieterzorg. 

 Here we had time only to examine the seed beds, where were 

 growing some 3,000 Hevea seedlings that as soon as the rains 

 began were to be set out on the plantation proper. We wanted 

 to stop and look over the plantation, the old fashioned garden, 

 the quaint manager's house, and substantial looking laborers' 

 quarters, but night was falling, we were far from home and 

 tea was ready on the launch, so we re-embarked and headed 

 for the city. 



To the American mind labor in Dutch Guiana is very abundant 

 and very cheap. On the latter point the British planter in the 

 far east is not by any means in agreement. His labor costs 

 him something like fifteen cents a day, whereas the same labor 



■Hevea" 2]^ Years Old. 



[Interplanted with Bananas.] 



"Hevea" Five Years Old. 



[Interplanted with Cacao, Shaded by Dadap Trees.] 



