January 1, 1912.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



loi 



United States Statistics of Malayan Rubber Growing. 



RECOGNIZING the importance to the American rubber and 

 kindred industries of full and detailed information as to 

 the development of rubber culture in the Malay States, a 

 systematic investigation of the whole question has lately been 

 made by the United States Government. This difficult task has 

 been ably carried out by Mr. D. Milton Figart, United States 

 Vice-Consul General in charge at Singapore, vi-ho has compiled 

 a report covering the four years 1907-1910, which (though not 

 yet published) The India Rubber World, has by the courtesy 

 of the Bureau of Manufactures, Department of Conmierce and 

 Labor, had an opportunity of examining, and of which the lead- 

 ing features are reproduced below. 



The report includes (1) rubber acreage, yield and production; 

 (2) cost of development per acre and of production per pound. 

 Other points touched upon are (3) comparative quality of product, 

 probable output, market value and dividends; while (4), labor, 

 diseases and other important points likewise receive attention. 

 Appealing, as it does, alike to the rubber manufacturer and to 

 the economic student, this skilfully compiled report amply repays 

 perusal. 



Dealing with the history of the "rubber boom," which occurred 

 within the last year covered by the report, Mr, Figart refers to 

 the inherent soundness of the rubber trade, as being demonstrated 

 hy the relatively small number of failures, which marked the 

 subsequent decline in values. 



MALAYAN ACREAGE AND PRODUCT. 



Taking the first and last of the four years dealt with, the total 

 rubber acreage of Malaya rose from 179,227 acres in 1907 to 

 362,853 in 1910, thus having more than doubled within the period 

 in question. That the grand total of production increased from 

 2,278,870 pounds in 1907 to 14,368,863 pounds in 1910, would show 

 the largely augmented productiveness of Malaya as the result of 

 methodical and scientific rubber cultivation. 



The acreage planted on December 31, 1910 (362.853 acres) rep- 

 resented 632 estates (as compared with 534 a year earlier) with an 

 acreage of 292,033. Of the 1910 acreage about one-fifth had been 

 planted during that year, while the plantings of 1909 only repre- 

 sented 15 per cent, of the total cultivated acreage at the end of 

 that period. 



Ceylon, while producing in 1910 more than six times as much 

 rubber as in 1907, had a much smaller quantity to start with. 

 Consequently the excess in the Malayan yield, as compared with 

 that of Ceylon now amounts to about 11,000,000 pounds, as 

 illustrated by the following comparison : 



1907. 1910. 



Pounds. Pounds. 



Malaya 2,278.870 14,368.863 



Ceylon 556,080 3,298,652 



CO.VIPARATIVE ACREAGE IN THE FAR EAST. 



Much interest attaches to the following details of the present 

 rubber acreage in various Asiatic countries : 



RUBBER ACREAGE. 1910. 



Malaya 362.853 



Ceylon 241.885 



Netherlands Indies 150,000 



Burma 13,525 



Cochin China 

 South India . . 



11,000 

 30,000 



Total acres, 1910 809,263 



From a comparison of this table with the figures already 

 quoted, it would seem that Malaya, with 362,853 acres, produced 

 in 1910 14,368,863 pounds, while Ceylon, with 241,885 acres, only 

 produced 3,298,652 pounds. 



COST OF DEVELOPMENT PER ACRE. 



Following the above important statistical facts, is a valuable 

 estimate prepared by Mr. C. M. Gumming, manager of Linggi 

 Plantation, Limited, Selangor, of the cost of opening up a rubber 

 plantation of 1,000 acres (250 acres each year) including 10 per 

 cent, for contingencies. The cost is estimated as representing 

 First year, $19,681; second year, $18,588; third year, $22,649 

 fourth year, $33,902; fifth year, $26,741; sixth year, $27,053 

 seventh year, $31,240. The total cost (without interest) would 

 thus far be $179,854, but striking off respectively one-eighth, one- 

 third and five-eighths for the last three years, the amount would 

 tie reduced to $147,969, or approximately (as Mr. Figart states) 

 $150 per acre. 



Taking the principal items of gross expenses for the first and 

 seventh years, the following results will be shown : 



1st year. 7th year. 



Premium and survey $2,272 



Clearing 250 acres 2,130 



Planting 250 acres 852 



Plants and seeds 1,136 



Bungalow 1,704 



Hospital, etc 1,704 



Rent 568 2,272 



Superintendence 2.272 4,260 



Weeding 1,278 . 8,520 



Machinery 5,680 



Other expenses 3,976 7,668 



Contingencies, 10 per cent. 



17,892 

 1,789 



28,400 

 2,840 



$19,681 $31,240 



The estimate of $150 an acre, it will be remembered, is arrived 

 at in conjunction with five-eighths of the amount of the expenses 

 for the seventh year, being charged to revenue. 



YIELD PER ACRE. 



According to the estimate of prominent planters, the annual 

 \ ields per acre may be counted as follows : 



Pounds. 



Fi fth year 50 



Sixth year 150/188 



Seventh year 250/281 



Eighth year 350/381 



Ninth year 400/^104 



Tenth year 400/577 



Eleventh year 400/633 



While well managed estates have been producing from 500 to 

 ?00 pounds of rubber per acre, it is remarked that in many cases 

 these figures will not be reached. At the same time, it is added, 

 these conservative estimates will probably be greatly exceeded, if 

 tapping is delayed until the proper period has elapsed, and is then 

 carried on in the most scientific manner. 



