348 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



ESTIMATING THE SUPPLY OF SHRUB. 

 The supply of guayule in its territory is very unevenly dis- 

 tributed. In most parts the plants are isolated, growing some- 

 times in large and often in small numbers among other plants 

 on mountain inclines rich in lime. At rare intervals small spaces 

 are found where it predominates. The following estimate was 

 made by Endlich ; 



An estimate of the average supply per hectare (2.47 acres) 

 ftcult to make, both on account of the uneven distribution of 

 and of the great differences in individual plants. In favorable 

 have on several occasions counted 30 to 40 plnnts to an area nt 

 meters, which would mean a total supplv of 3,000 to 4,000 

 hectare. The differences in size and weight are so great th; 

 where the plants are small and grow close together 10 plaut^ 

 the weight of 1 kilo (2.2 pounds), while in the best territory > 

 trees weigh as much as 3 kilos each. The average weight will 

 !S of t 

 500 to SCO kilos per hectare, but 

 tne dinerent places ulierc the plants are found are otten considerable .in-i 

 must he ' i' . II ![!'> iii^iileration. The territory containing the more im 

 portant i' ' : '. uicludes a total area of about 75,000 square kilo- 

 meters . , .,.e miles). 



It is . . 'a to approximate the total supply of crude material. 

 Let us a-- : . ;: ii ti liie area of 75.000 square kilometers, comprising the 

 districts wheie tlie uuayule plant is principally found, one-tenth actually 

 - supply; this would mean a territory of 750,000 hectares. If we 



in two ways, by seeds and by tneans of shoots (retones) which 

 start up from the shallow-lying roots. Retones are relatively 

 few in number, but their initial growth is rapid and they quickly 

 produce (lowers. Even the rcmainini- portion of roots broken 



lA EIXPLOTADORA BE CaUCKO MeXICANO, SaLTILLO, MeXICO. 



oft where the plants are uprooted frequently produce new 

 plants, and this after dying back quite a distance. Thus with 

 reasonable care the existing guayule fields may be preserved. 



One of the large operators advised the writer concerning re- 

 oiowth m these words: 



Continental Rlbhkr in.. Tukkkun, Mexico. 



figure the output as one-half ton per hectare, we get a total supply of 

 375,000 tons, which at the rate of 7 to 10 iicr cent rubber, represents a 

 total of 26,250 to 37,500 tons of rubber. 



In 1906 a number of experts tigured on the amount of shrub 



available for extraction. The following tabulation is based on 



their estimates and a selling price for crude rubber at 45 cents 

 gold per pound : 



Estimated Estimated Estimated 



Yield Yield Profit, 



Owners of Shrub, of Rubber, Excluding 



of Shrub. Metric Tons. Metric Tons. Royalties. 



INO 1 57,000 6,840 $3,009,600 



No. 2 40,000 4.800 2,112,000 



No. 3 10,000 1,200 528,000 



No. 4 8.000 960 422,400 



No. 5 27,000 3,240 1,425.000 



No. 6 8,000 960 422,400 



No. 7 3,000 360 158,400 



No. 8 35,000 3,000 1,320,000 



No. 9 20,000 2,400 1,056,000 



No. 10 12,000 1.440 633,600 



No. U 8.000 960 422,400 



No. 12 (scattered holdings)... 47,000 5,640 2.481,600 



Consumed to June. 1906 10,000 1.200 528.000 



Permanently unavailable 25,000 



Totals 310,000 33,000 $14,519,400 



REGROWTH IN WILD AREAS. 

 In the first collection of the guayule shrub the plant was up- 

 rooted. To a certain extent some roots were broken ofif and 

 formed new growths. If, however, instead of being pulled up 

 the plant is cut off under the surface of the soil, the root that 

 remains will, if rain falls within a reasonable time after the 

 cutting, reproduce a good plant. The self-sown seeds grow 

 slowly, several years showing only a thin one-fourth-pound 

 bush. Natural reproduction in the field therefore takes place 



of 1910, but it will make it possible for some of the 

 Lt Dries to I lamtain a constant if diminished output. From the present 

 tlook and from the experiences gained in the past the rubber trade may 

 unt ou an annual production indefinitely of somewhat over 2,000 tons. 

 1 se hgures aie based on the supposition that the price of guayule will 

 t go below 45 cents nor above 75 cents per pound. If the price should 

 below 45 cents there will be less guayule produced than the above 

 ,ure and if it goes above 75 cents there will be an increase over these 

 :ures temporarily, with acceleration of the consumption of the available 

 and the consequent reduction of the future supply. High prices for 



Salvador Maderi 



rubber mean high prices for the shrub and a resultant destruction of the 

 young and growing shrub, as anything that appears like guayule will be 

 cut and shipped to the factories by the shrub owners greedy for money. 



(To be continued.) 



SAMPLES OF CRUDE PLANTATION RUBBER. 



The Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce of the United 

 States Department of Commerce has been furnished with samples 

 of crude plantation rubber graded in accordance with the classi- 

 fications, in use here as follows : unsmoked diamond sheet 

 smoked diamond sheet (light), smoked diamond sheet (dark), 

 unsmoked plain sheet, smoked plain sheet, pale crepe (variable,) 

 brown crepe (variable), blanket crepe (variable). The samples 

 may be examined at the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Com- 

 merce, or its district offices, by referring to file No. 108614. 



