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THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[June 1, 1919. 



The Goodyear Rubber Plantation. 



WHEN The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. determined not 

 long ago, to organize a plantation for the production of 

 a large part of the rubber they require in their Akron 

 factories, they sought one of the best locations to be found in 

 the Far East and found it in the northerly part of the island of 

 Sumatra. This extensive island lies parallel to the Malay pen- 

 insula, a short distance to the westward. Sumatra belongs to 

 Holland and contains large areas specially suited for the growth 

 of the Hcvca or Para rubber tree. 



AN IDEAL LOCATION. 



The new Goodyear enterprise is located near the region of 

 volcanic mountains about one-half hour's ride by motor car from 

 the town of Siantar, the center of the tea district of the northern 

 section of Sumatra. Here a vast plantation is in process of 

 formation, embracing 20,000 acres of jungle land. Between 8,000 

 and 10,000 acres have already been planted with rubber trees. 



The soil is plentifully supplied with such mineral salts as sul- 

 phates and phosphates of alumina, iron, lime, magnesia, potash 

 and soda, as well as carbonate of lime. It is probable that no 

 better rubber-growing land is anywhere to be found. The site 

 chosen lays at an altitude of from 300 to 500 feet and the land 

 is gently undulated and well supplied with streams. 



AJIERICAN MANAGEMENT AND EQUIPMENT. 



On this estate from 7,000 to 8,000 laborers are employed. Some 

 of these are imported froin Java, some from China, and others 

 from India. There is a small proportion of native Sumatrans 

 among the number. 



Practically only .\merican-made machinery and tools are em- 

 ployed in preparing the land and operating the plantation, such, 

 for example, as engines, tractors, stump pullers, automobile 

 trucks, picks and other hand tools. 



The army of coolies is supervised by a competent staff of over- 

 seers, planters, and engineers. 



LABOR AND SANITARY CONDITIONS SAFEGUARDED. 



The general manager of the Goodyear plantation, in speaking 

 of this company's accomplishment, gives the following outline of 

 the work involved. The plantation is divided into six divisions, 

 each approximating 3,000 acres and under a separate manager. 

 About 3,000 acres of jungle in the 20,000 of the plantation 



close to Belawan, its port of shipment, and in its various ap- 

 poinlmenls is practically independent of the outside world. There 

 is a plantation hospital with 400 beds and the best medical atten- 

 tion is thus made available for the needs of the plantation 

 workers. Sanitary conditions are being steadily improved. 



CLEARING THE JUNGLE. 



The plantation area was overgrown with the densest jungle 

 anywhere to be found and many of the trees were enormous. 



In the process of cleaning the jungle for planting, axemen 

 fell the trees and are followed by Chinese plank sawyers who 

 save all the lumber possible for use in constructing the coolie 

 quarters. It requires the labor of 1,300 coolies for two months 

 to fell the timber on 3,000 acres. 



CLEARING AND PLOWING BY STEAM TRACTORS. 



After removal of the underbrush and timber the stumps are 

 removed by special pullers and tractors. No explosives are used 

 in the work, .\fler clearing, the land is plowed by a big steam 

 tractor, to the depth of about 20 inches. The effectiveness of 

 plowing by tractor is shown by the fact that by this means 

 twenty acres can be plowed in a day, while 250 coolies can plow 



UNCALOW. 



estate are reserved for the natives. The laborers are accorded 

 the very best treatment. Labor troubles are entirely eliminated 

 and the coolies are thoroughly contented. 



The plantation is distant 75 miles from Medan, which is very 



The Beginning of Road Building 



but three acres in the same time. About 100 trees are planted 

 to the acre and the entire tract is kept free of weeds. The 

 labor of felling and uprooting the jungle trees and cleaning away 

 the underbrush preparatory to planting represents only a part 

 of the work of establishing a plantation. 



ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE MILES OF GOOD ROADS. 



Good roads must be built that all parts of the plantation may 

 be reached easily and quickly. Building and maintaining high- 

 ways must be a constant development and already 125 miles of 

 substantial roadway has been built on the new plantation. The 

 whole scheme is a huge engineering proposition terminating in 

 extensive factory and shipping facilities to handle the latex and 

 prepare the rubber. 



THE ENTERPRISE OF GOODYEAR. 



The development of this newest all-.^merican rubber plantation 

 is of much interest to the rubber industry all over the world. The 

 Goodyear company has so often accomplished comparably big 

 things that a twenty-thousand acre rubber plantation at the An- 

 tipodes seems quite fitting to go with the Goodyear scheme in 

 general. It is interesting, however, to conjecture not only what 



