PLANTATION ESTABLISHMENT AND MAINTENANCE. 159 



Brought forward - Rs. 28,261 



Fifth Year- 

 Superintendence - Rs. 900 

 Weeding - 750 

 Fencing - 50 

 Contingencies 70 

 Roads, &c., and general attention 100 



1,870 



Interest at 7 per cent. - 2,109 



Rs. 32,240 



Rs. 322.40 per acre at end of fifth year. 

 N.B. Rupee = is. 4<I. 



MEMOS. 



I close the estimate at termination of the fifth year as it is now 

 generally admitted that tapping may commence according to growth 

 between the end of fourth and sixth years. The estimate is framed on 

 the lines of rubber planting as ordinarily carried on in the district of 

 Matale, and might serve as a guide to the planting of rubber in such 

 districts as Badulla Valley, Kurunegala, Dumbara, &c., districts usually 

 not heavily influenced by the rains of the south-west monsoon. 



Felling. The cost of felling and clearing both of forest and chena 

 land is so very variable that it is impossible to give an estimate which 

 would apply to the rubber districts generally. 



Clearing. In some districts I have had chena lands cleared for 

 Rs. 9 per acre ; and, again, the felling of forest will not be taken up 

 by contractors in some localities for less than Rs. 25 per acre. 



Roads and Drains. The cost would be from Rs. 5 to Rs. 8 per 

 acre according to lay of land, soil, &c. 



Fencing. Fencing can only be estimated for by the mile. Many 

 estates or clearings, covering perhaps only 100 to 150 acres, would 

 require 3 to 4 miles of fencing owing to established rights of way. My 

 estimate is for a treble wire fence. It is not at all certain that it would 

 not pay in cases where clearings have a jungle frontage to put up two 

 wires only, say at i foot 6 inches and 3 feet, backed by galvanised wire 

 3 feet by 3 inches mesh. 1'he cost of the barbed-wire fence would be 

 reduced to Rs. 50 per mile. The galvanised wire would cost about 

 Rs. 285 per mile. The total cost of such fencing would therefore work 

 out at about Rs. 422 per mile. It would effectually put a stop to the 

 depredations of muntjak deer, mouse deer, porcupines, and hares, and 



