CHAPTER XIV. 



ESTABLISHMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF A PARA 

 RUBBER PLANTATION. 



I. CEYLON. 



THE expenditure required for the establishment and upkeep of 

 a Para rubber plantation is small in comparison with that required 

 for plantations of many other products in the tropics. 



Expenses will of necessity vary in different countries in 

 proportion to the cost of labour, land, and transport. I therefore 

 propose to give estimates having reference to the two countries 

 where Para rubber is at the present time most extensively 

 cultivated. These are Ceylon and the Malay Peninsula. 



RUBBER IN CEYLON.* 



Cost of Opening Land, Distances to Plant, &c. 



Ceylon figures: Rupee = is. 46. English money. 



First Year. 



1. Purchase of land, say 200 acres at Rs. 50 per acre Rs. 10,000 



2. Felling, burning, and clearing at Rs. 15 per acre - 3,ooo 



3. Roads and drains at Rs. 12 per acre - - 2,400 



4. Lining R. i, and pegs R. i, 15^ by 15^, 200 to acre, at 



Rs. 2 per acre - 400 



5. Holing Rs. 4 and filling Rs. 3 at Rs. 7 per acre - 1,400 



6. Cost of planting 45,000 at Rs. 12 per 1,000 540 



7. Nurseries and upkeep 100 



8. Planting R. i and shading Rs. 2 at Rs. 3 per acre 600 



9. Weeding, April to December, at Rs. 2 per month 3,6oo 



10. Bungalow, Rs. 2,500, lines, &c., at Rs. 600 per acre 3ji 



11. Superintendent Rs. 3,000, Conductor Rs. 600 3,600 



12. Tools and contingencies - 250 



Total cost of opening 200 acres for first year Rs. 28,990 



By Francis J. Holloway. India-rutbcr Journal, 9th May 1904. 



