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THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[October 1, 1914. 



AcRH 1 i I i i ■ i 



So rich and .aried is the soil of Netherland Guiana that there 

 is practically no tropical product which is not grown within its 

 borders Principal amongst them arc sugar, cocoa, mi,, 

 1 ananas rio inuts, rubbei and balata, 



production of sugar has been relatively stationary, having 



onlj . 10,931 tons in 1909 to 11,652 tons in 1913. 



ire, however, satisfactory, though plantations are small. 



I ,- been exported from Netherland Guiana for nearlj 



-'(Hi years, the area laid out representing 1862, 1,331 acres; 



1873, 4,723 acres; 1913, 14,000 acre Liberian coffee has since 



1880 formed an important feature of the Netherland Guiana 



industry. I Hiring the last six years it lias been largely 



planted is i supplementary culture to rubber. In 1913 about 



3,500 acres were bearing coffee, with a further area of nearlj 



4,000 .icns in preparation for planting. The total exports of 



coffee to the United States and Europe were: 1910, 352,980 



pounds; 1911, 431,790 pounds; 1912, 275,667 pounds; 1913, 455.50-4 



pounds. Large profits are being made and are expected to 



mtinue 



.Mr O'Connor states that the "Surinam Congo" banana is of 

 better flavor than the varieties from Jamaica and Central 

 America. It excels, moreover, in carrying qualities and in 

 withstanding a sea voyage. In 1913, the United States con- 

 sumed 54.000,000 bunches, while English imports rose by more 

 than 100 per cent, in the years 1903 to 1913, reaching in the 

 latter war a total of 7,530,000 hunches. 



Rubber. 

 After unsuccessful results with seeds obtained from Para in 

 1896 and 1901, an importation in 1905 from Henaratgoda 

 (Ceylon) of 20,000 seeds produced 9,500 seedlings. The latter 

 were planted out On clay Soil and form the oldest regular plant- 

 ing in the colony. Another importation from Para was made 



Rubber Interplanted with Bananas. 



the same year Since then seeds have been regularly imported 

 by individuals and through the Agricultural Department. 

 The greater care and expense involved in the cultivation of 

 Hevea, it is remarked, is usually compensated by the sub- 

 cultures In Netherland Guiana Hcvea is practically always 

 planted wnli bananas, this system having a very good influence 

 upon the plant- The young trees are protected from sun and 

 wind, while the soil is less affected by sunshine and rain. 

 Another advantage is that with banana t is obtainable 



after a year, while if planted alone the trees would he unprofit- 

 able for threi wars, if not longer. In addition to 

 banan. nerally interplanted with the rul 



tianas. if planted without any other sub-culture, can lie 

 kept i ir years, after which a profil can still be 



obtained from the sub-culture of coffee and cocoa for some 

 years. On plantation "Jagtlust" there is now a very good cocoa 

 producing area together with ten-year old //,■;, -<j trees. In an- 

 nexed illustration rubbei is shown interplanted with bananas. 



I he following estimate is made of production per acre according 



ol iocs: 7 years, 110 pound-, s \ears, 150 pounds; 9 



years, 210 pounds; 10 years, 250 pounds, 11 years, 2H0 pounds 



At plantation "Voorburg" there are now 6,000 l rees being tapped. 



Mils plantation has the largest area for Hevea under cultiva- 

 tion, and is about to instal machinery foi preparing the rubber. 

 While no considerable quantity of rubber has as yet been 

 exported from Netherland Guiana, the figure has grown from 

 2,200 pounds in 1911 to N.900 pounds in 1913; and the author 

 expresses the opinion that with the large areas planted iu the 

 last few years. Hcvea rubber will soon become an important 

 article of export. 



Balata. 



A comparison is made of the Berbice and Venezuela systems 

 of tapping, the latter method resulting in a larger production at 

 one time, while by the former the trees are spared for a second 

 tapping. It is proposed to fell trees having a diameter exceed- 

 ing 15 inches and to tap the thinner ones with a taphook. 



The following were the balata exports of Netherland Guiana, 

 in tons: 1907, 342; 1908, 447; 1909, 618; 1910, 878; 1911, 1,027; 

 1912, 723; 1913, 1,186 About 10.000 men are employed in the 

 balata industry, which is one of the most important in the 

 colony. 



To those not familiar with Netherland Guiana. Mr. O'Connor's 

 handbook will prove most valuable, while to those wishing to 

 renew their acquaintance with the subject, it will no doubt be 

 of interest. 



NEW TRADE PUBLICATIONS. 



I_7 ( 'R a number of years after the United States Rubber Co. 

 * began to make a line of tennis shoes its annual price lists 

 were modest affairs, simply showing illustrations of the shoes 

 and giving in addition a brief description of each brand and the 

 sizes in which it was made and the prices at which it was sold. 

 But the tennis list issued this year is much more ambitious It 

 is a small book of 24 pages, printed in three colors on heavy 

 paper, and describes and illustrates 17 different brands. In 

 addition to the old familiar names Champion. Yachting, Gym- 

 nasium, Hathing and Vacation, there are a number of new 

 brands, such as Palmetto. Quarter Deck. Regatta, Week End, 

 i olonial, Parade and Veranda. 



Each page has illustrative scenes in colors apropos of the 

 shoe described, and as the general atmosphere of sporting 

 shoes lends itself admirably to decorative effects the general 

 appearance of this price list is exceptionally attractive. 



"Safety Always" is the title of a 36-page booklet issued by the 

 Miller Rubber ( o., of Akron, Ohio — being a comprehensive di- 

 gest of facts that drivers should know In this booklet the traffic 

 ordinances, state and municipal, of New York. Pennsylvania, 

 Ohio. Indiana, Michigan and Illinois are given, with directions 

 tor signaling and illustrated explanation of police, traffic signals. 

 Four pages are given to the merits of Miller products and the 

 methods adopted in the manufacture of the Miller tire. etc. Road 

 rules, both common-sense and otherwise — the latter known as the 

 1 ools" I welv< i ommandments" — are given a place in the book- 

 let, which concludes with a list of the company's distributing 

 branches and ageni ii - if which there arc 36 in as many cities 

 in different pans ,,f the country. 



The September calendar in the monthly series being distributed 

 by the Derby Rubber Co.. manufacturers of reclaimed rubber, 

 of Derby. Connecticut, suggests in its decorative as well as in its 

 calendar features the approach of the fall season. The upper 



