406 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[May 1, 1914. 



RUBBER GATHERING IN THE PERUVIAN 



MONTANA. 



A^^ONG the results obtained by the various expeditions 

 which have explored the Ucayali, Azupizu, Urubamba, 

 Manu, Maranon and Juambari rivers, has been the finding of 

 large tracts which had not yet been trodden by rubber gatherers. 

 Reliable explorers like von Hassel, Stieglich and others main- 

 tain that there are in those regions at least 200 different latex- 

 bearing varieties of trees. 



Only natives can be taken into consideration as workers, the 

 tropical climate proving destructive to the health and activity of 

 Europeans. The rubber gatherers are mostly half-breeds, for 

 the Indians of these zones only occupy themselves occasionally 

 with rubber. As penetrating the primeval forest is no slight 

 task, the rubber tappers usually choose the sections which are 

 easily reached by boat. This is why the extensive rubber loca- 

 tions are mostly found in the vicinity of rivers. What lies 

 further towards the interior is to a great extent disregarded. 



The system under which rubber is gathered in Bolivia is sim- 

 ilar to that in force along the Amazon. The man who gets a 

 concession has to equip the gatherers in advance, and this in- 

 volves often a very considerable outlay. While the gatherers 

 are at their work they are entirely removed from any control. 

 When they return at the end of the season they are credited 

 with the rubber which they bring back, against which are charged 

 all the advances made .at the beginning of the season. Gatherers 

 are sometimes engaged at a fixed rate of payment, but this is 

 only possible where the conditions under which they are to 

 work are fairly well known. 



In the months of July, August and September the tappers 

 start to look for new locations, the rubber trees being at that 

 tiiiic most easily distinguishable by their color. The trees found 

 are marked by the forest-knife, such marks being generally re- 

 spected by other gatherers. Each tapper marks an estrada of 

 80 to 150 trees. He then hews a path from one tree to another 

 through the thick underwood, to make a way for the future 

 operations ; then erecting near the river his primitive hut, he 

 waits till October when the tapping season commences, to last 

 till the beginning of December. The rainy weather stops tap- 

 ping during January, February and March, while work can be 

 resumed in April, May and June. These periods, however, 

 vary according to the different zones. The Peruvian Montana 

 is exploited most wastefully and without system of any sort. 

 With efficient administration and proper operation, the yield of 

 that region might be increased ten fold. 



In the northern part of Peru, matters are different. There 



large English companies have tried to work the rubber forests 

 in a rational way, but in the absence of experienced laborers 

 they were thrown back on the entirely uncivilized Indians. The 

 latter can only be trained to regular work with considerable 

 difficulty, and had to be treated practically as slaves. This 

 system was what gave rise to the Putumayo scandal of 1912. 



Rubber lands can be acquired in four ways: 1, by purchase; 

 2, by condemnation ; 3, by grant ; 4, by concession. In each 

 case special regulations are applicable. 



COLONEL CHAVES AND THE ACRE RUBBER TAX. 



A GRAPHIC presentment of the difference between the 

 exporting of rubber from Brazil and Bolivia is shown 

 in the following table. This was prepared by Colonel Avelino 

 de M. Chaves, who is the owner of a large seringal on the 

 Purus river in the Federal district of Acre. Colonel Chaves 



Colonel Avelino de M. Cha\'ES. 



found that the municipality of Senna Madureira, department 

 of Acre, had put an extra 1 per cent, tax on .Acre rubber, in 

 addition to the 20 per cent, regular tax; whereupon he pre- 

 sented these figures, stirred up other shippers as well as the 

 commercial associations at Para and Manaos, and the 1 per 

 cent, tax was repealed. 



ACCOUNT SALES OF RUBBER FROM x\CRE AND BOLIVIA. 



2,200 lbs. from Acre. 



Fine 1,622 lbs. @ .74 



Entre Fine 330 lbs. @ .64 



Sernamby 154 lbs. @ .52 



Loss 94 lbs. 



2,200 lbs. 



Charges 22 per cent. 



$1,200.00 



211.00 



81.00 



$1,492.00 

 . 328.00 



Expenses. 



Taxes 20 per cent $298.35 



Freight 129.60 



Expenses in Manaos 64.80 



Stamps, etc 37.25 



Sold in Manaos. 



2,200 lbs. from Bolivia. 



Fine 1,622 lbs. @ .74 



Entre Fine 330 lbs. @ .64 



Sernamby 154 lbs. @ .52 



Loss 94 lbs. 



2,200 lbs. 



Charges 22 per cent. 



$1,200.00 



211.00 



81.00 



$1,492.00 

 . 328.00 



$1,820.00 



Expenses. 



Taxes 8 per cent $1 19.35 



Freight 129.60 



Expenses in Manaos 64.80 



$530.00 Stamps, etc 37.25 



Xet receipts 



.$1,290.00 



$1,820.00' 



$351.00 



Net receipts $1,469.00' 



