

THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[I BEE) I, 1914. 



NOTES FROM BRITISH GUIANA. 

 By Oui /■ ipondoit. 



-kill WEATHER UNPRECEDENTED YIELD IN BA1 \l\ 



I All .ill 



"""Till- weather for August and September has been must re- 



•* markable. The rainj season is apparentl) not yei at an 



end, Eor plentiful and vigorous showers arc still falling; and 



n Irought il will be underst 1 how very 



me this stale of affairs is, when it is stated that ordinarily 

 the rain} season is at an end by the first of August. In the dry 

 months the balata trees refuse to yield anj latex, so that the 

 present weather conditions arc- verj much appreciated by the 

 balata interests ["here is ever) prospect oi a bumper yield ol 

 balata this year. 



Unfortunately, the cost of production is likely to be great!) 



increa ed on account of the highei prices oi i Istuffs as a 



result of the war in Europe. Prices at once began to soar and 

 the position became so serious that the government bad to step 

 in and Tin maximum prices. Nevertheless, the prices fixed bj the 



■ rnment are .1 g 1 deal higher than normal. An even more 



is trouble is the demoralization of the rubber and balata 

 market in London and the apprehension that is felt of risking 

 the shipment of large quantities oi balata. \ gentleman largel; 

 interested in the industry points out that there are large quanti- 

 ties of balata lying here, the proceed from which are needed in 

 lation, but that the hanks will only advance on it at a rate 

 ■ ■I interest of 6 per cent., and holding at the owner's risk, or if 

 the balata is shipped the owner must pa) the extra war risks. 

 The hanks cannot be blamed for taking this attitude. They can- 

 ected to incur all the risks in handling balata for the 

 -t assisting somebody else. The gentleman who 

 has raised the question, however, wants to know wh\ the govern 

 11K111 the money, take over the risk, and when 



- tin balance over to the owners. The 

 simplest h.l_\ out of the difficulty, of course, is to ship the 

 balata and paj war risks, but the demoralization of the market 

 is a serums obstacle. 



The same difficult) is being experienced in the gold and 

 diamond industries. 1 understand that the government 1- giving 

 the matter the most serious consideration. It need scarcely be 

 added that in the event of these colonial produce values lying 

 dormant for some time there will be a small army of laborers 

 making thi <t\ unpleasant on account oi their wagi 



rnment. however, lias handled the affairs of the colon) 

 in so masterly a manner since the war broke out that it is not 

 anticipated that this question will present any serious difficulties. 



Ill CUSTOMS REPOR1 1913 A RECORD YEAR FOR BALATA. 



I in report Eor 1913 oi the Comptroller 01 Customs, which has 



just been issued, si 1 record amount of P. data was ex 



ported last yeai I he figures Eor the past five years are as 

 toll, ,\vs : 



I '1 1 tnds. Value. 



in 1,034,076 -I'TUvs 



r 10 11 1,162,588 670,192 



1911-12 1,152,-111) 707,284 



1912 . . 705,214 407,424 



1,323 768,463 



From tin I \ it will lie seen that rubber has not 



made such good progress, although in the next tew on 

 Ii 11 ik fi if infinite!) better results : 



Pounds \".dne. 



1909-10 (1 $3,123 



1910-11 1,157 



191112 3,474 .111" 



216 143 



.1,340 822 



The balata crop of 1913 was exported to the following coun- 

 tries 



Pounds. Value. 



Lnited Kingdom 1,191.359 $687,435 



1 nited States 13(1.212 79,ooi 



Germany 2,038 1,427 



The comptroller says in the bod) of his report: 

 "The quantit) of balata exported during 1913 was nearly 

 double the quantit) sent mil ,.f the colony the previous year. 

 'I he increase amounted to 618,395 pounds, the rise in value being 

 $281,039. The total exports of balata for 1913 were 1,323,609 

 pounds, represented by a value of $768,463. This is the largest 

 amount of colony balata. both as regards quantit) and value, that 

 has been exported in any one trade year. The drought in 1912 

 retarded work in the up-COUntry balata areas, and the state of 

 the rivers in that year prevented a certain quantity from 

 reaching Georgetown in time fur exportation in 1912. so that the 

 exports tor 1913 wen unduly intlated. Nevertheless the 

 amount actually collected 111 1913 was larger than in any 

 former year. Unfortunately the price of balata fell considerably 

 during 1913. and SO the producers did not profit to the same 

 extent as it was hoped they would with the increased yield. 

 Balata is used for cables, golf balls, molds for electrical pur- 

 pos, s, etc., and il would seem as if its price was regulated to 

 si urn extent b) the price of rubber, as the price fell in sympathy 

 with that of rubber." 



PROGRESS IN THE RUBBER INDUSTRY— TAKING PLACE OF 

 ITHER CROPS. 



Mr. E. II. S. Floyd, Canadian Trade Commissioner in the 

 West Indus, says m a report which has just been submitted to the 

 1 anadian Department of [rade and Commerce: "The balata in- 

 dustr) in Ilrilisli Guiana is mi tin whole in a health) condition, 

 though the product is being sold at cost price. The area covered 

 in the cultivation of balata is being extended; estates (hat 

 previous!) urn I. 1 coffee, cocoa, Eruit trees and sugar cane are now 

 being utilized for rubber. An economical method of bringing an 

 of rubber up ' to bearing and niie thai is fairl) general 

 among the planters is to plant in catch crops among the young 

 rubber and in this w a\ reduce to a minimum the outlay necessary 

 in tin period required to bring the young trees to maturity. 

 Considering the low price of labor in tin colony it is believed 

 that the areas now being extended will produce rubber at a price 

 which will he remunerative, however low the ruling market price 

 may be." , 



RUBBER SHIPMENTS PROM AMAZON VALLEY. 



Iii a recent statistical return Consul George II Pickerell, at 

 Para, -bowed the aggregate shipments of Brazilian rubber for 

 the crop year ending July 31, 1914. as having been: To the 

 United Slate-. 40.936,545 pounds; to Europe, 44.707.700 pounds; 

 total, 85,644,245 pounds. Ibis total compared with those of 

 previous years gives the following result, in pounds: 1912-13. 

 "4.525.005. 1911-12, 89,957,410; 1910-11, 73,927,605; 1909-10, 

 86,178,685. The total for the last crop year was only slightly 

 below the average of the last five years and only 9.4 per cent. 

 below the figun for 1912-13. A more extensive falling off had 

 been anticipated. 



THE LATE PRESIDENT PENA. 



I he death on August l; after protracted suffering, "f Dr. 

 Roqui Saenz I 1 ' 11,1. President of Argentina, evoked man) ex- 

 pressions of regret We was elected in March. 1910, assuming 

 office on October 12 of the same year, his term as president ex- 

 tending until 1916. 1 'win- to Ins serious illness he had been of 

 late replaced in the exercise of bis duties hv the Vice-President, 

 Dr. Victorino de la Plaza. 



Mis earlier experience had been as representative oi In- countrj 

 at various international congresses, and likewise in a diplomatic 

 capacity at several European courts 



