680 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[September 1, 1914. 



RUBBER IN FRENCH INDO-CHINA. 



FRKXCH Indo-Cliina includes Tongking. Aiiiiam, Cochiii- 

 China and Laos, acquired by France througli conquest, as 

 well as Cambodia, Angkor, Battambang and Kouang-teheou- 

 Wan, ceded under diplomatic agreements. Cochin-China is a 

 colony of France (capital Saigon), while the other states of Indo- 

 China are protectorates of that country. 



Cochin-China has a more extensive cultivation of rubber than 

 any of the other portions of French Indo-China, lying chiefly 

 between 8 degs. and 12 degs. north latitude, and from 101 degs. 

 to 105 degs. east longitude. Within the last twenty years the 

 natural healthfulness of the country has been further improved 

 through the works of sanitation executed by the French author! 

 ties, which fact has encouraged colonists to remain there, instead 

 of returning to France. Cochin-China is subject to the influence 

 of tile monsoons, and has a rainy season from May to October, 

 followed by a dry period. It is watered by the Mekong, a river 

 2,000 miles in length, with numerous tributaries. The country 

 is divided into three sections. In the southern and western 

 portions the land is low, while to the east is a slightly more 

 elevated district suited for rice, tobacco and cereals. The fur 

 eastern and the northern portions have" distinctly higher lands 

 not inundated in the rainy season, where rubber is grown in the 

 gray and red soils. 



According to the latest number of the "Annals of the Rubber 

 Planters of Indo-China," published in connection with the Lon- 

 don rubber exposition, the native population is descended from 

 Annamite immigrants, and has perpetuated their national char- 

 acteristics of obedience to authority and respect for foreigners 

 speaking their language. 



From the reports brought back from Europe by residents of 

 Cochin-China there seems to be an impression that the Hez'ca 

 Brasiliensis could not grow in the last-named country. It is 

 admitted that Cochin-China has been outstripped in this matter 

 by Ceylon, Java, Sumatra and the Malay peninsula. This situa- 

 tion is attributed to the fact that those countries had not the 

 resource furnished by rice in the case of Cochin-China, which 

 was developed without regard to rubber and other remunerative 

 forms of cultivation that had received attention in neighboring 

 countries. On this point there seems to have been a lack of 

 encouragement on the part of the government, which obtained 

 a satisfactory revenue from rice. 



Rubber was planted at a relatively early date by M. Belland, 

 a French colonist, who from a modest plantation of 15,000 trees 

 realized in 1910 (the second year of his tappings) a net profit 

 of nearly $20,000. This fact encouraged many Frenchmen to 

 take up the cultivation of Hcvea Brasiliensis. The commence- 

 ment made in 1907 and 1908 by the Suzannah and Xatrach estates 

 was followed by the establishment of many small companies. 

 These companies were in most cases founded with the savings 

 of colonists and their plantings varied from 10,(X)0 to 50,000 

 trees each. Cochin-China is the land for the small planter. 

 European capitalists are moreover now taking interests in 

 plantations. Both European and native planters have taken up 

 Hevca Brasiliensis. 



The north and northeast of Cochin-Cliina (already referred to 

 as l)eing favoralile for rubber ) contain a vein of gray and red 

 clay about 70 miles long by 25 miles wide, forming an ideal rub- 

 ber country. Results obtained from planting in these soils have 

 been satisfactory in both cases. The estate of M. Belland and 

 the government agricultural station of Ong-Zem, which produced 

 the first rubber from Cochin-China, are on gray soil, while the 

 others named are on red clay. 



NOTES FROM DUTCH GUIANA. 



By Our lii'iiular Correspondent. 

 IT is rumored here that a h'rench combination with headquar- 

 ■'■ ters at Paris has formed a company to exploit certain wild 

 rubber tracts situated in the Para district of the colony, and 

 that the capital to be invested is 5,000,000 francs ($965,000). 

 These lands have long been in the market, and at one time 

 stood a good chance of becoming the property of an American 

 concern, but the sudden and unexpected change in rubber prices 

 damped their ardor, and they let go. From the prospectus is- 

 sued by tliis company we gather that the tract contains 150,000 



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

 Compounding Ingredients ; RuWier Country of the Amazon ; 

 Rubber Trade Directory of the World. 



Coi.oxi.\L R.MLW.w i'-\s.-;iN-G Through \\ ii.n ki bbek .\nd 

 B.\LATA Tr.\cts, Dutch Guiana. 



acres, situated in the neigliborhood of the Colonial Railroad, 

 which will greatly facilitate transport and render the openin.g up 

 of the tract inexpensive. 



In my last correspondence mention was made of the waiting 

 game of the planters; and their policy is not to be criticised 

 when it is considered that by w-aiting a few years longer the 

 returns of rubber per tree will be almost doubled. 



In dealing with the rapid growth of rubber trees in Dutch 

 Guiana, Professor J. B. Harrison, Director of Science and Agri- 

 culture, on a recent visit to Surinam said he was amazed to see 

 how the rubber trees had grown. At plantation Mengcnstand 

 he found trees with a girth of from 55 to 60 inches which he 

 saw in 1910 when they were just taken from the nurseries and 

 planted. Professor Harrison was no less pleased to see the 

 healthy and flourishing condition of the cocoa and coffee trees 

 on this estate as well as on others he visited during his brief 

 stay in the colony; and on his return to Demerara he was not 

 silent regarding his impressions of rubber, cocoa and coffee in 

 Dutch Guiana. It ought to be now recognized by all that the 

 soil, climate and rainfall in Surinam are all that can be desired 

 for the cultivation of rubber and other tropical products. 



Balata has been brought into town in quantities, the largest 

 parcels arrivmg during the past few weeks, and the customs have 

 reported a production of 198,650'4 kilograms (437,031 pounds) 

 to June .30, 1914. as against 195.713 kilograms (430,569 pounds) 

 for the same period in 1913. The weather still continues favor- 

 able for operations and by the end of September the 1914 crop 

 will liave been gathered. 



In the month of June alone the balata produced was 71.419 kilo- 

 grams (157,122 pounds), as against 55,081 kilograms (121,198 

 pounds) in June, 1913. It is a well known fact that a less num- 

 ber of bleeders are operating this year, owing principally to the 

 strict and correct contracts they are called upon to enter into, 

 and the reduction in advances. 



The Chamber of Commerce in its annual report, dealing with 

 tlie balata industry says : "The receipts in the towns were 

 higher in 1913 than in any previous year, despite the fact that 



