PLANTATION ESTABLISHMENT AND MAINTENANCE. l6l 



Cost of Opening and Maintaining a Plantation until Productive. 



The following figures represent the cost of opening 500 acres 



of land, and planting with rubber 20 feet by 20 feet apart, being 

 1 08 trees per acre. 



Premium on 500 acres at $i per acre $500 



Quit-rent, first year, 50 cents - 250 



Survey fees, 25 cents per acre 125 



Felling jungle, $7.50 per acre 3i75 



Clearing up, after burning off, $3 per acre 1,500 



Draining, $10 per acre 5>ooo 



Roads, $i per acre 500 



Lining, $1.50 per acre 750 

 Holing (holes i| by \\ foot) and filling with surface soil, $i 



per acre 500 



Planting with stumps from nurseries, 40 cents per acre 200 



Weeding, $r per acre per mensem (nine months) 4>5o 



Seeds, 100,000 at $5 per 1,000 500 



Nurseries, sowing, weeding, and watering 150 



Tools and implements 500 



General transport 100 



Coolie lines, to house 200 coolies 750 



Conductor's bungalow 250 



Manager's ,, 750 



Conductor's salary, first year, $50 per mensem 900 



Manager's ,, ,, $300 ,, 3, 600 



Contingencies 500 



Total cost, first year - - $25,275 



This represents an average of $50.55 per acre, although these 

 figures are subject to a slight modification, varying with the 

 nature of the jungle to be cleared and the land to be worked. 

 The terms on which land may be acquired are dependent to a 

 certain extent upon the situation and locality, and would not 

 exceed the figures quoted above, but, subject to certain condi- 

 tions, may be had on more reasonable terms. The proximity 

 or otherwise to a town, and the facilities for transport would 

 necessarily affect the estimate for transport charges. 



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