352 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[July 



i, 1904. 



RUBBER CULTURAL PROSPECTS IN MEXICO. 



By George Cull en Pearson. 



TO the Editor of The India Rubber World— Dear 

 Sir: Some remarks of mine on rubber cultivation in 

 Mexico, which lately appeared in a contemporary and 

 have been somewhat widely copied, have brought me 

 many letters of inquiry which perhaps can best be answered 

 through the medium of your widely circulated Journal. I may 

 add that it is six years since I commenced planting rubber in 

 Mexico on an extensive scale as a private enterprise. My views 

 are limited by my practical experience; beyond that I have no 

 theories. 



Rubber culture in Mexico is so recent an experiment in plant- 

 ing enterprise that as yet opportunities have been afforded to 

 few to investigate thoroughly the many important questions 

 connected with it. As with many another new industrial de- 

 parture, magnified notions as to large returns to be secured in 

 a brief period on a minimum expenditure have got abroad, 

 fostered by wild tales having their foundation in ignorance or 

 enthusiasm. This is all the more regrettable, as many of the 

 statements now proven to be exaggerated have been put for- 

 ward by men occupying distinguished positions in botanical 

 science. The names of these men leave no doubt that their 

 statements have been made in all good faith, but it is none the 

 less to be deplored that they should have been given to the 

 world before experience could prove their truth or falsity, as 

 thereby loss and disappointment have been caused to many 

 and opportunity has been afforded to unscrupulous promoters to 

 induce investment by baiting their prospectuses with imagin- 

 ary results given under names which carry so much authorita- 

 tive weight. 



Happily, rubber culture has no need of false encouragement 

 based on exaggerated estimates as to results. The actual facts 

 as proven by those who have expended much time, care, and 

 capital in developing this new industry warrant a firm belief in 

 its sure and lasting success. 



In answer to inquiries as to Mexico being the best part of the 

 American continent for the full development of rubber produc- 

 tion, I can answer in the affirmative, with these reservations : 

 In this vast country there is great diversity of climatic condi- 

 tions ; in the tropical region (tierras calientes) there are large 

 areas totally unfit for agriculture of any kind, so that too great 

 care cannot be exercised in the selection of land, especially for 

 rubber culture. Fine land and favorable conditions can be 

 secured if the necessary time and attention be given to finding 

 them, but outside such selection the natural advantages are 

 greater in more southern states such as Venezuela, Guatemala, 

 Honduras, and Colombia, where there are larger areas of rich 

 land and the rainfall is more abundant. 



Given, however, the right land and district, the advantages 

 are on the side of Mexico. The climate is equable and singu- 

 larly free from the storms and cyclonic disturbances which des- 

 olate so many tropical lands and bring ruin to the planter, and 

 is perfectly healthful if ordinary precautions be taken. In strik- 

 ing contrast to the unstable political conditions existing in the 

 other countries named, Mexico possesses a firm, stable, and re- 

 spected government which encourages every plan for the de- 

 velopment of its vast resources, and is a country, which, by the 

 aid of the increasing amount of foreign capital thus attracted, 

 is advancing with rapid strides on a sure path of prosperity. 

 Communication is being established by railroad construction 

 between all principal points. Throughout the republic life and 



property are as safe as in any part of the United States, whilst 

 the law against evil doers is rigorously applied. 



What is the cost of planting rubber is a question much more 

 easily asked than answered. Let me warn the prospective 

 planter against believing that the mere cost of setting out his 

 plants, plus a few small items of expenditure such as figure in 

 too many reports — even consular — will make up the sum total 

 of his outlay until his trees shall yield of their abundance. 

 Much depends upon the season, much upon the locality of his 

 plantation, easy or difficult means of communication, possibil- 

 ities of obtaining supplies, availability of labor, and the hundred 

 and one requirements which can only be iearned by hard ex- 

 perience. 



Something may be learned as to the fallibility of estimates 

 from a publication now before me, ostensibly issued as a guide 

 to rubber planting, where I find the whole cost of acquiring, 

 planting, and maintaining for six years, 100 acres of rubber plant- 

 ed land, put down at S5390 Mexican, the Mexican dollar being 

 calculated as worth 50 cents gold. I have no hesitation in 

 condemning this as almost criminally misleading. 



Let us examine one or two items of the estimates. 



It is stated that two cleanings of the rubber a year for five 

 years will be necessary, and the total cost of these ten cleanings 

 is put down at $1000 Mexican, for 100 acres. 



Now, two cleanings a year are not, in my experience, sufficient, 

 if the plantation is to be kept in the condition most beneficial 

 to the growth of the rubber plants. There must be at least 

 three cleanings a year, as the growth of weeds in fertile tropic 

 soil can scarcely be believed without actual experience of it. 

 I suppose that by unremitting attention to all details affecting 

 the management of my own property, I do not err on the side 

 of extravagant expenditure, yet I find that I cannot get 500 

 acres cleared under a cost of §5000 at the present price of labor, 

 and I have every advantage of locality and communication. 



There should be three cleanings a year during the first three 

 years, making nine cleanings; the next two years there should 

 be two cleanings a year, making fourcleanings ; the sixih year 

 one cleaning will suffice, making in all fourteen cleanings. I 

 will, for the sake of argument, put these cleanings at $750 each, 

 and even at that low figure the cost of cleaning alone of the one 

 hundred acres willamountin the six years to $10,500. or double 

 the sum laid down as the total amount required for six years' 

 expenditure, including purchase of land. 



Another item. — The living expenses of the planter for the 

 entire six years are put down at a lump sum of §1440 Mexican, 

 or $240 a year. It is to be hoped that he is calculated as a 

 bachelor. Now I pay my lowest peon %\. Mexican a day, and he 

 is always in debt, though I suppose the Mexican agricultural 

 laborer lives as cheaply and as miserably as any human being ; 

 perhaps the Chinese coolie beats him in economy, without the 

 misery. I have still to learn how a decent white man can keep 

 up his establishment on two-thirds of the amount expended by 

 the Mexican peon. 



While thus showing that estimates of cost should be accepted 

 with great caution, I am not prepared, for reasons I have already 

 stated, to give hard and fast figures as to the expenditure neces- 

 sary. Rubber culture is not an enterprise for the small capitalist 

 on any scale, making it worth his while to engage in it, while on 

 even a moderate scale it should not be taken up unless the 

 planter have considerable su pi us funds at his command to enable 



