October 1. 1911. 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



19 



RUBBER IN THE REPUBLIC OF HONDURAS. 



' I ' HE growing importance of Honduras as a source of rubber 

 ^ production is demonstrated by the figures of the United 

 States imports from that country. 

 Fiscal vears. Pounds. Value. 



1906 93,126 $55,709 



1907 104.334 76.444 



1908 102,010 65,865 



1909 76,133 39,985 



1910 148,813 117,808 



Honduras has an area of 45,000 square miles, wliile the popula- 

 tion, is believed to exceed 600,000. 



The temperature varies in the hishlaml^ between 41 (legs. F. 



receivers of the concessions. All machinery and utensils for 

 any industry are exempt from custoin duties and other taxes. 



At the recent Pan-American Commercial Conference, Mr. 

 Guillermo Moncada, Consul-General of Honduras in New 

 York, called attention to the fact of Honduras being com- 

 pletely unexplored, and urged that its virgin lands, adequate for 

 any cultivation, well provided with water, and extremely fertile, 

 offer great advantages for the investment of capital. 



.According to an official consular report from Ceiba, a private 

 company, organized last year in Honduras, obtained title to 

 3,000 acres of virgin land peculiarly adapted to the cultivation 

 of rubber, and has been planting on a large scale. It is said to 

 be the intention of this company to prepare an additional area 



Collecting Latf..\ ix l-i.xGS Inste.^d of Cups. 



and 59 degs. F., while in tlie valleys and on the coasts it never 

 exceeds 86 degs. F. The great fertility of the land, due to the 

 richness of the soil and to the abundance of water, renders 

 cultivation profitable. 



The total imports of the republic f( r the fiscal year 1908-9 



Pressing Freshly Co.\cul-\ted Rubber. 



equalled in gold $2,581,553, and the exports $1,990,601; the share 

 of the United States being respectively $1,769,876 and $1,834,565. 

 Under the laws of Honduras the acquisition of all kinds of 

 property is extremely easy, and its disposal absolutely free from 

 restrictions. The government also grants agricultural lands free 

 from ta.xes, these lands being deeded after due cultivation to the 



CastUloa Biscuit Co.^gulated With i\mole. 



sufficient to cultivate several liundred thousand trees, trans- 

 planting them from extensive nurseries as the land is prepared. 

 The report adds that there is no cultivated rubber now pro- 

 duced in that locality, but that the demand for the wild "scrap" 

 rubber which thrives profusely and is gathered by the Indians, 



Drying Rubber. 



had resulted in the local price advancing from 38 cents to $1.33 

 gold per pound. 



The illustrations herewith show progress at the plantation 

 "Boca Viejo." The trees under cultivation are Castilloas. and 

 are growing wonderfully. The adjacent lands have also many 

 wild CasUllcas which the owners of the plantation are tapping. 



