256 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[February 



Rubber Planting Notes. 



FKEN'CH INDO-CHINA is one of tlie latest on the list of 

 plantation rubber-prodncing countries, and it is only in the 

 last few years that attention has been given to the creation 

 of modern plantations. The first rubber from this colony was ob- 

 tained from wild plants, mostly of the vine variety. In the second 

 half of 1913, when the crash came in rubber prices, most of the 

 French Indo-China Hevea plantations were merely i" course of 

 creation. Many had just finished planting. 



Coming at this stage, the crisis made it very difficult for 

 these non-producing plantations to obtain credit and, in view of 

 the slump in rubber values, very little money could be raised by 

 the sale of stock of companies that would not produce for a 

 number of years to come. All the estimates of future income 

 and future profits on crops were discredited by the general de- 

 preciation of the market value of crude rubber. In the face of 

 these difficulties the Indo-Chinese planters and plantation com- 

 panies applied to the French Bank of Indo-China for loans to 

 enable them to insure the upkeep of their property until the trees 

 would come into bearing. The French colonial laws authorize 

 banks, under governmental supervision, to loan money on future 

 crops, but it was discovered that the provisions of the laws did 

 not cover rubber crops that would not be available for a number 

 of years. Consequently it was decided to obtain long-date loans 

 that could be repaid in annuities, to begin at a date when the 

 plantations would be in bearing. Arrangements were made on 

 this basis and, as the government's sanction was essential, it was 

 requested to give consent. This was early in 1914, and the gov- 

 ernment has not as yet given any definite reply. 



Serious conditions have developed ; lack of funds has caused the 

 plantations to be seriously neglected; trees that now could be 

 tapped for small quantities of latex are not touched because tap- 

 ping would be unprofitable at present prices. Many plantations 

 have been obliged to discharge their entire staff. The moratorium 

 resulting from the war in Europe has stopped the periodical re- 

 mittances that were coming forward from the sale of shares and 

 from small loans obtained in France. To complete the havoc, the 

 French government has prohibited all exports of rubber to other 

 than French ports, thus closing to Indo-Chinese rubber its prin- 

 cipal market, Singapore. This embargo is causing much discon- 

 tent among the planters who, apart from resenting this reflection 

 on their honor and patriotism, believe that the British Govern- 

 ment has taken adequate measures to prevent rubber reaching the 

 enemies of the Allies, and, therefore, it is unnecessary to bar 

 Indo-Chinese rubber from the Singapore market. 



A new Governor-General has recently been appointed to Indo- 

 China, and hopes of relief are renewed. Should the government 

 continue to ignore the plantation interests, a very serious condi- 

 tion is likely to develop. 



PLANTATION RUBBER IN GERMAN WEST AFRICA. 



The cultivation of rubber in German West Africa began about 

 IS years ago with plantings of Funtumia Elastka, the indigenous 

 rubber tree. Hevea was not introduced until 1907, when seed 

 was obtained from the East. By 1911, about 25,000 acres were 

 planted in rubber, this area being divided equally between 

 Funtumia and Hez'ea. Since 1911 Funhitiiia has been steadily 

 losing favor as a plantation tree, chiefly on account of its poor 

 yield in latex as compared with Hevea. 



No new plantings have been recently made and, as the trees be- 

 come exhausted, they are cut out and Hevea is planted instead. 

 The latter demands less from the soil .than Funtumia, yields 

 more rubber, and is better suited for interplanting with cocoa. 



Lack uf seed and other planting material as well as lack of labor 

 and the sowing of the seed in abnormally wet weather have re- 

 tarded the development of Hevea plantings. 



It is stated that both Funtumia and Hevea on German West 

 African plantations suffer from a species of root disease and that 

 in addition to this the Funtumia has to contend with "stag 

 beetles"; however, the principal difficulty on these plantations 

 has always been labor. 



Hevea was first tapped in the season 1912-13. The exports 

 of plantation rubber from German West Africa have been com- 

 paratively small, though increasing steadily, as shown by the fol- 

 lowing figures: 1909. 5,922 pounds; 1910. 5,795 pounds; 1911, 

 23,912 pounds; 1912, 53,040 pounds. 



The forests of German West Africa produced good qualities 

 of wild rubber, but this production has been on the decline for 

 a number of years and is now practically a thing of the past. 



THE RUBBER INDUSTRY OF ANGOLA, PORTUGTTESE WEST AFRICA. 



Angola, the largest of Portugal's African possessions, a rubber 

 producing country of comparatively great importance 20 years 

 ago, is today affected by a similar crisis as the Congo, Brazil and 

 other countries producing wild rubber. 



At times rubber has formed as high as 75 per cent, of the 

 total value of Angolian exports. In 1910, the shipments of rubber 

 amounted to 2,438 tons and were valued at $6,007,200; in 1911, 

 1,968 tons, value $2,972,400; in 1912, 2.188 tons, value $3,470,000; 

 in 1913, 1,489 tons, value $1,993,905; and in 1914. 1,336 tons, value 

 $725,206. 



The primitive methods employed by the natives in gathering, 

 cleaning and drying the rubber resulted in the product arriving 

 on the European markets in poor condition. However, owing to 

 the great demand, Angolian qualities still obtained profitable 

 prices until quantities of clean plantation rubber made their ap- 

 pearance. 



Angolian rubber comes mostly from the remote interior of 

 the Benguela district, where it is obtained by the natives from 

 vines ; Landolphia Kirkii, Landolphia Horida, etc. ; and is sold at 

 the trading stations which buyers have established in many parts 

 of the Benguela plateau. 



Recently an Englishman has established a modern rubber 

 cleaning plant at Bihe which will probably lead to an improve- 

 ment in Angolian wild rubber qualities. 



As to plantation rubber, the friable soil of Angola and the 

 rainfall, are very favorable to Manihot, two varieties of which 

 have been successfully cultivated at an altitude of from 2,500 to 

 3.000 feet. On December 31. 1914. Manihot plantation rubber 

 was selling at 2s. Id. per kilogram [29 cents per pound] in the 

 Benguela market. 



HEVEA RtTBBER YIELDS IN SOUTH INDIA. 



The Hevea plantations in South India have been producing for 

 the past six years, but, compared with Ceylon and Malaya, the 

 yields in dry rubber per acre have never been very satisfactory, 

 due apparently to climatic conditions. 



Of late, however, an experienced planter has openly taken the 

 view that the climate is not wholly to blame and that it should 

 not be made the scapegoat for past sins and mistakes of planters 

 who have failed to adapt the proper methods of cultivation and 

 tapping to the climatic conditions. 



In the early days of rubber planting in South India most of 

 the planters had no practical knowledge of the task they were 

 undertaking and overlapping was much indulged in, so that to- 

 day many trees must be allowed to rest until damaged bark is 

 renewed by nature. This process of bark renewal in many cases 



