214 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



December I. 1920 



It is contended that an allowance up to three cents a pound 

 is too high and that buyers should have the privilege of refusing 

 rubber even if the inferiority called for an allowance of only 

 one cent per pound. Furthermore it is claimed that the rule 

 encourages careless grading and packing. 



On the other hand, the seller argues that he must be protected 

 against trifling claims, which would be especially prevalent when 

 rubber is low and the contract had been entered into when the 

 price was much higher. 



The fact of the matter seems to be that both sides are right 

 and wrong and that the only real grievance is against the maxi- 

 mum of three cents, for if rubber is poor enough to warrant an 

 allowance of three cents it can hardly be called a really fair 

 tender. 



RUBBER SEED OIL 



In his report on the .Agricultural Department of the Federated 

 Malay States in 1919, L. Lewton-Brain, Director of Agriculture, 

 states that the experimental hydraulic oil-expression plant of the 

 department has been lent to the Malayan Oil Mills, Limited, a 

 local company formed primarily tu manufacture rubber seed 

 oil. It has been ascertained that rubber seed on storage deteri- 

 orates and produces an oil containing up to about 25 per cent 

 of free fatty acids, and that such oil is not generally suitable as 

 a substitute for linseed oil. Further, this oil is not suitable for 

 many purposes owing to its slower drying power, compared with 

 linseed oil, and it is necessary to prepare a "boiled" oil for com- 

 mercial purposes. 



Considerable progress has been made in the work of retining 

 the oil, but it is probable that the processes required can be 

 carried out only in a factory under the supervision of a trained 

 chemist. Experiments on the preparation of "boiled" oils have 

 shown that a satisfactory product can 'be obtained from a raw 

 oil free from fatty acids. 



A further problem, namely, the prevention of the deterioration 

 of seed in storage, remains to be solved. Freshly collected seed 

 yields an oil with very low acid content. 



CEYLON 



According to the report of H. C. Pinching, A. R. C. S., the 

 soil conditions, the growth of the trees, and the output per acre 

 are surprisingly good in Ceylon. A field of trees, averaging 16 

 years of age, gave 450 pounds per acre on alternate-day tapping 

 of a half spiral cut. The average general increase of yield per 

 acre per year for the first few years is 50 pounds, as follows : 



Pounds Per Acre 



6 years 1 50 



8 years 300 



10 years 40O 



12 years 500 



From 12 years onward very little increase in yield is noted ; 

 growth and crops are practically stationary and the effect of 

 seasonal peculiarities upon the yield appears to be very marked. 



A report by Mr. Fetch indicates that the number of trees 

 attacked by brown bast is not so great in Ceylon as in some 

 other rubber-producing countries. It is now held that brown 

 bast is a physiological result of tapping, and is more common 

 in daily tapping than in alternate-day tapping. 



Experiments at Peradeniya with different manures showed the 

 greatest increase in a tree which in July, 1916, measured 8.30 

 inches and in January, 1920, measured 23.42 inches. The same 

 mixture was used for this tree and for another, which measuring 

 7.04, increased to 20.91 inches in the same time. The rates of 

 increase of these two trees represent the highest and the lowest, 

 respectively, of all the trees experimented on. 



It is reported that Germany is planning to resume trade with 

 Ceylon in all articles except machinery. German firms are offer- 

 ing samples of various articles, one firm having even sent a 

 big consignment of goods. It further appears that German firms 

 have proposed to local merchants to exchange rubber and other 



local products for German goods as yellow metal, bronze, etc. 

 The drawback to this seems that some German firms are not 

 prepared to negotiate business by bank credit. 



THE NETHERLAND EAST INDIES 



The local press is taking note of the fact that America and 

 Japan are striving to increase their interest in the rubber culti- 

 vating industry in order to satisfy their home requirements. It 

 is foreseen, however, that production from Java and Sumatra, 

 which is mainly sent to the Netherlands, will eventually go to 

 Germany and Austria. 



.America's desire to become independent as far as her supply 

 of rubber is concerned, will not be realized owing to the fact that 

 it will never find sufficient land to plant enough rubber for home 

 consumption, they say. 



It is further pointed out that at one time the local govern- 

 ment refused a petroleum concession to a combination connected 

 with the Standard Oil Company, but adds the belief that as far 

 as rubber is concerned, the Netherland East Indies would stick 

 to its liberal policy and continue to admit foreign capital. 



The shareholders of the Indian Rubber Company have ac- 

 cepted an offer from a British concern for the sale of their 

 Sumatra estates. 



At a forthcoming meeting the shareholders of the "Ambalatoe" 

 will be asked to consider the sale of 2,000 out of 4,500 bouws 

 (one bouw equals 1.7537 acres) of rubber land to the Sumatra 

 Rubbercultuurmaatschappij "Serbadjadi." 



It is rumored that The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. is nego- 

 tiating for the purchase of the estates belonging to the Rotter- 

 dam Deli Co., and to the Krapah Tobacco Co. If these nego- 

 tiations succeed, this concern will control 30 estates, covering 

 100,000 acres, all in the East Coast of Sumatra. 



.■\ report from the division for agricultural economics indicates 

 the various parts of Sumatra said to be suitable for different 

 crops. Thus, Tapanoeli is favorable for rubber. In the newly 

 opened district of Muaru Labuh, along the Liki river and on the 

 northern slope of Mt. Korintji. rubber is being cultivated with 

 success in parts, although on the whole the district is considered 

 to be too wet for rubber. 



The Djambi Highlands offer good opportunities for rubber. 

 Vast areas are available for the purpose. The soil is good; the 

 rainfall, though not heavy, is regular ; but there is a lack of 

 roads and population. The Muara Bungo district in these parts 

 seems to be capable of development with least expense. 



The area under rubber in the East Coast of Sumatra at the 

 end of 1918 amounted to about 320,000 acres. The total cost of 

 bringing to the bearing stage an estate opened up before 1919 

 is estimated to average 660 gilders per acre. This average is in- 

 creased to 720 per acre for lands opened up after 1919. 



At the end of 1918, 211,200,000 gilders were invested in rubber 

 estates in this part of Sumatra. 



SOUTH INDIA 



The Secretary of the U. P. A. S. I. (United Planters' Asso- 

 ciation of South India), has compiled statistics relating to the 

 production of rubl)er in South India. Figures of about 5,000 

 acres of rubber not belonging to the U. P. A. S. I. were also ob- 

 tained. 



Years of Plantinx 



Planted Total at 



'ear .Acreage December 31 



1004 .".nd prcviouslv 912 79 912 79 



1905 1,841.54 2,7S4!33 



1906 5,709.39 8,463.72 



1907 5,486.90 13,950.62 



1908 5,812.25 - 19.762.87 



1909 2.245.15 22,008.02 



■910 5.836.68 27,844.70 



1911 8,178.24 36,022.94 



1912 4.260.57 40,283.51 



1913 2,840.51 43,124.02 



1914 1,095.26 44,219.28 



1915 129.52 44,348.80 



1916 114.08 44,462.88 



1917 System changed. 44,463.10 



1918 1,203.54 45,666.64 



