678 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



t September l,i9rl#.; 



Some Rubber Planting Notes. 



DR. ASENS' JOURNEY OF RUBBER INVESTIGATION. 



THE last number of the "Mcdedcelingcn," or "Cummunica- 

 tions" of the Testing Station at Malang, Java, contains an 

 interesting account of the journey undertaken last spring 

 by Ur. P. Arcns, the assistant director of rubber cultivation. At 

 the meeting of the Testing Station on February 25 it was decided 

 to send Dr. Arens on this tour of inspection, from wliich be 

 returned in the early part of the summer. 



His object being to collect information of value to Java 

 planters, three weel<s were allotted to Ceylon, conditions in 

 both islands being similar and planters in both cases suffering 

 under the same disadvantages. Hence the records and impres- 

 sions of his visit to the last named island occupy a prominent 

 place in his report, the comparison between Ceylon and Java 

 being constantly in view. Other portions of liis narrative deal 

 with Sumatra, the Malayan peninsula and other centers of 

 interest. 



The information gathered with regard to the different coun- 

 tries visited affected systems of cultivation, catch crops, manur- 

 ing, destruction of insects, tapping, renewal of bark, preparation, 

 smoking, etc. Special attention was likewise devoted to the 

 sorting and packing of rubber, while the natural features of the 

 respective countries are also referred to in connection with their 

 influence on its growth. 



THE TREUB LABORATORY AT BUIIENZORG. JAVA. 



The opening early this summer of the new Treub Laboratory 

 at the Botanic Gardens, Buitenzorg, Java, has recalled the con- 

 nection of Dr. Melchior Treub with that institution, which had 

 lasted since 1880, when he was appointed director. He had up to 

 that time devoted close attention to nature in its various forms, 

 both abstract and concrete. 



He then invited a noted German scientist, Professor H. Graf 

 zu Solnis Laubach, of Gottingen, to assist him. This expert re- 

 mained at Buitenzorg from October, 1883, to March, 1884. As a 

 result of these joint efforts, the "Foreign Laboratory" was opened 

 in May, 1885. During the first years the laboratory was under the 

 special control of Dr. Treub himself, but when in 1890 Dr. M. 

 Janze became attached to the Botanic Gardens as botanical expert, 

 Dr. Treub gave him immediate charge of the laboratory. 



In 1887-1888 Dr. Treub succeeded in obtaining a grant from the 

 Amsterdam Royal Academy of Science ; the interest of which 

 fund was devoted to sending every two years a botanical expert 

 to Buitenzorg. The first of these was the well-known Professor 

 Went. In the course of years many botanists journeyed to 

 Buitenzorg to continue their studies and investigations. 



In 1905, after a quarter of a century's service, Dr. Treub was 

 promoted to the post of Director of Agriculture in Java, which 

 he held until 1909. His death occurred in 1910. 



While in his late life he had less to do with pure science, yet it 

 always occupied the first place in his thoughts. 



The decision to erect a new and suitable laboratory as a me- 

 morial to him w-as taken on Dr. Treuh's death on October 3, 

 1910, but has only just been carried into effect. 



PLANTATION RUBBER ACREAGES. 



■ A South Indian estimate shows the following acreages under 



plantation rubber in 1913: Malaya, etc., 500,000; Java, 150.000; 



Sumatra, etc., 250.000; Ceylon, 220,000; India and Burma, 50.000; 



German Colonies, 60,000; Borneo, 20,000; total, 1,250,000 acres. 



The totals for previous years were: 1910—767,000; 1911— 

 :865,000; 1912—987,000. It will thus be seen that the increase 



shown by 1913 over 1912 is about 27 per cent 



JAVA RUBBER EXPORTS. 



Official statistics show tlic following comparative ruliber ex- 

 ports from Java and Madura : 



Hcvea tons 



Ficus : , ' 



Ceara ,.,-... 



Castilloa ,.'. 13>4 



Other classes . . . .' 



(jutta percha (plantation) 



(pressed leaves) . 

 Jelutong 13 



RUBBER PLANTING IN MALAYA. 



The following statistics illustrate the relative importance of 

 the rubber acreage in various parts of the Malayan Peninsula: 



1912. 



.\creage. 



Federated Malay States 399,197 



Straits Settlements 94,263 



Johcre 91,827 



Kelantan and Kedah 34.837 



Trengannu 1.497 



621.621 



708,545 



29,168.19 



In 1912 there were in all 255,912 workers cjiiployed on the 

 Malayan estates; the number having increased by 1913 to 282,354. 



DUTCH-INDIAN IMPORT TRADE. 



In addressing the Dutcli Commercial Association, during the 

 recent summer meeting at Zwolle, Holland, Mr. D. Ilde Vries 

 stated tliat the population of Java, now over thirty millions, is 

 increasing at the rate of half a million a year. Sumatra is also 

 rapidly developing, with further development expected on the 

 completion of the railway now under construction, which passes 

 through a fertile district. A small portion of this line is already 

 in operation. 



The amount of impoits into Dutch India for the last few years 

 equalled in millions of dollars: 1907, 99; 1908, 112; 1909. 113; 

 1910. 138; 1911. 160. The speaker urged this development as 

 indicating the growing importance to Europe of the Dutch Indian 

 markets. 



RUBBER COMPANIES IN SOUTHERN INDIA. 



By the courtesy of the Department of State at Washington a 

 tabular statement has been received showing the history of some 

 19 South Indian sterling companies and 4 rupee companies. 



Taking them in the order of the annual quantity produced, 

 the most important concern is the Rani Travancore Rubber Co., 

 Limited, registered in 1910 for the purpose of taking over about 

 3,600 acres, of which about 3,000 acres have been planted with 

 Para rubber. The yield for the year 1913 was 513.813 pounds, 

 produced at about \s. ZY^d. (31.16 cents) per pound f.o.b. ; the 

 estimate for 1914 being 675,000 pounds. The Malayalam Rubber 

 & Produce Co., Limited, for 1913 yielded 263,664 pounds of 

 rubber, and estimates the current year's product at 482,0(X) 

 pounds ; while the Travancore Rubber Co., whose output for 

 last year was 123,083 pounds, anticipates for 1914 about 150,000 

 pounds. 



Should be on eve'y rubber man's desk— Crude Rubber and 

 Compounding Ingredients ; Rubber Country of the Amazon ; 

 Rubber Trade Directory of the World. 



