September 1, 1916.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



689 



to the air. Ofttimes the collector merely smears the fresh latex 

 upon his naked body, until enough has been coagulated to be 

 stripped off and formed into a small ball, which serves as a 

 nucleus for winding on the strips of fresh late.x, as the new 

 cuts are made. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN DUTCH GUIANA. 



Jiy Our Regular Corrcspoudcul. 

 "THE report on the leaf disease prevailing- in the colony made 

 *■ by the Agricultural Department has not yet been published, 

 although it is said to be completed. The matter has been treated 

 at length and should furnish interesting reading. 



In the neighboring colony of British Guiana Mr. Bancroft 

 mentions in his report on the South American Leaf Disease the 

 following improved methods of treating the disorder : 



"Si.x pounds of copper sulphate are dissolved in five gallons 

 of water in a wooden vessel. Then four pounds of lime are slaked 

 in a little water and put in a tub with 45 gallons of water; it is 

 stirred well and allowed to settle. After it has settled the clear 

 supernatant lime water is poured off and mixed with the copper 

 solution, the whole being thoroughly stirred for at least five 

 minutes. Care must be taken to determine that all the copper 

 has been precipitated and this can be done in the usual way by 

 testing the mixture with a clean, bright blade of a knife. If 

 copper is found deposited on the knife blade, then there is cop- 

 per in the solution and more lime water is to be added." It is 

 claimed that this method insures a mixture which will act more 

 quickly than the old method, and also that the fungicide is more 

 effective. 



The quickness of action is of great importance in dealing witli 

 many fungoid attacks, especially so in the case of the present leaf 

 fungus attacking rubber plantations. What treatment will be 

 recommended here in Dutch Guiana is hard to tell, but as far as 

 can be gathered, a treatment of spraying will be instituted. 



On the government rubber plantation "Slooywijk" the disease is 

 rampant, and measures have been taken to cut down the trees and 

 plant in their stead coffee, which, in the government's opinion 

 will be more remunerative in the near future. 



On other plantations in the colony, the disease does not appear 

 to have such disastrous results, and hopes are entertained for 

 an eventual speedy recovery. 



RUBBER TAPPING UNREMIINERATIVE AT PRESENT. 



Tapping operations have been carried out on only a few 

 estates during the past six months, ovifing especially to the want 

 of lucrative markets, but, it is said, as soon as the war is over, a 

 general tapping campaign will be commenced, when it is antici- 

 pated an increase in tlie price will follow. 



BALATA PRODUCTION LARGE. 



The balata industry is showing signs of vigorous health, and 

 several thousand bleeders are engaged in gathering this season's 

 harvest, which is expected to be large. Several parcels are ar- 

 riving daily from the interior and if weather conditions remain 

 as satisfactory as at present, the production will be a large one. 

 Government figures show the production from January to June, 

 1916,234,840 kilos [517,728 pounds] ; January to June, 1915,74,222 

 kilos [163,630 pounds]. The bulk of the product is yet to arrive. 

 August and September being tlie greatest productive periods. 

 BLEEDERS EMIGRATING TO FRENCH GUIANA. 



One of the principal collectors has transferred his office to 

 French Guiana, where he has joined company with a wealthy 

 French combination and is said to be reaping a big harvest. 

 Many of the bleeders employed at Cayenne are old seasoned 

 Surinam men who left the colony when the new regulations were 

 instituted here. They find French conditions much better and 

 can earn more money. 



Frencli Guiana promises to become a most important balata 

 center, and already reports are going tlu' rounds that In 1917 



most of the best bleeders from this colony will join their friends 

 in the new fields at Cayenne. 



DR;»INAGE AND IRRIGATION NEEDED. 



The recent heavy rains which have caused flooding in many 

 districts wliere agricultural pursuits are carried on, again brings 

 forward a question which has been raised more than once in the 

 local press, viz., the possibility of a new Department of Irriga- 

 tion and Drainage being formed. 



It is well known that on drainage and irrigation hang most 

 of the agricultural problems of this colony. It is certainly 

 worth while getting to the root of the matter, for with good 

 drainage and irrigation, even the most backward farmer is 

 fairly certain to earn a competency. 



When one considers the enormous advantage to be gained by 

 the colony if the best and highest returns are obtained to the 

 acre of cultivated land, it seems lamentable that no more eflFort 

 has been made than has actually been the case. 



OTHER AGRICULTURAL REFORMS NEEDED. 



It would be far wiser for us to face, not only this question of 

 drainage and irrigation, but also the question of building up a 

 solid, thriving peasantry, the establishment of agricultural 

 schools not confined to one district, the creation of a more 

 elaborate system of school gardens, and a carefully devised and 

 extensive scheme of field instruction. In other words we must 

 face our agricultural problems and be prepared to spend more 

 money on schemes which are bound, if properly conducted, to 

 prove sound investments. One has but to look at the money 

 voted for the Agricultural Department to be assured that it is 

 impossible for those responsible for the agricultural progress 

 of the colony to accomplish very much. No, we have to face the 

 position. If we are to do work of a permanent nature we must 

 find the money to do it with. Other problems of even less im- 

 portance have, in the past, received sufficient money to carry them 

 through. Why not agricultural problems? 



SUBBEB AND BALATA INDUSTRY IN NOHTHWZST BRITISH GUIANA. 



According to an official report on the industrial conditions 

 in the Northwest District of British Guiana and covering 

 a period of nine months ended December, 1915, very little 

 work has been done in the balata industry in that district 

 during the period covered and no large yields are expected 

 for the present year. 



The Consolidated Rubber & Balata Estates, Limited, sur- 

 rendered 73 of their licenses. The following table shows 

 the shipments of balata for the nine months: 



Barima District 385 pounds 



Barama District 1,451 



Total 1,846 pounds 



The imports of balata from W'nezucla into British Guiana 

 during the period covered amouiilcd to 29,945 pouiuls valued 

 at $7,761.78. 



The area under rubber was increased SO acres and the 

 Consolidated Rubber & Balata Estates, Limited, was en- 

 gaged in extending the cultivation on the land held by them 

 under lease on the Aruka river; 80 acres were cleared and 

 47 acres enipoldered and planted up with Para rubber — 100 

 plants to the acre — and iiitcrplanted with catch crops of 

 ground provisions. 



This company was engaged in tapping the trees of the 

 David Young Estates, Aruka, now the property of the com- 

 pany. They shipped from this plantation more than S.OOO 

 pounds of rubber of very good quality. 



The tapping at the experimental station was continued with 

 satisfactory results, and a further block of trees was prepared 

 for tapping in the present year. 



During the period covered by the rejwrt the rubber cul- 

 tivation of the district was rather severely attacked by the 



